Sleeping Beauty
by Redwood Manning
Summary: In short, sleeping beauty w Sarah as the Princess and Jareth as the love interest and the bad guy, because, well that was never really sorted out was it? Rated T for language but the promise of sexy-fun times to come! (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge)
1. A Child is Born

In a far away land known as the Underground, long ago, lived a kindly though bumbling King and his beautiful but reckless Queen. Many years they longed for a child, and finally their wish was granted, yet it came at a cost. To have the child, the King and his Queen had to ask assistance of the wild King of the castle beyond the Goblin City and were much in debt to him. But eventually, a daughter was born, and they named the girl Sarah. Then a great holiday was proclaimed throughout the kingdom, so that all the high or low could pay homage to the infant Princess... Well, almost all could pay homage. This is how our story begins.

The Queen's fingers fluttered nervously around her swelling stomach. Soon both she and her husband would have the child the so long desired but... The Goblin King was an issue. One that needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later. Preparations were being made already for her child's birth and a huge celebration was to be held, perhaps it was for the best if the Goblin King's invitation were to be... Misplaced.

The man was basically a savage, surrounding himself drunken goblins, by choice no less, and _everyone_ knew of his habit for spiriting young children away. It simply would not do.

Queen Linda sought out her husband, eventually finding him in throne room. The sound of her clacking shoes echoed throughout the hall, faltering before his throne. His face hidden behind a long list of various royals, Dukes and Lords who were expected to attended the festivities, King Robert hummed to himself merrily, off in his own little world.

"My Lord?"

No response, the Queen tried again.

"Husband?"

Still nothing.

"Robert?"

The King mumbled something incomprehensible from his scroll and Linda struggled not to roll her eyes. Robert was a fair and just man, but sometimes he was as thick as, as thick as? Well, as thick as that infernally, stinking bog they had to cross to reach the bloody heart of that damn castle. A different approach would be needed.

"Robert?" she purred. The Queen had approached the King from behind and slipped her heavily embroidered arms around his neck. That caught his attention.

"Y-Yes, My Darling? What ever is the matter?" The Queen stuck out her bottom lip and began traced the lines of his face before answering.

"Naught, my husband. Just the silly thoughts of a woman troubled for her child."

"What troubles you my love? Name it and it shall be gone from your sight, I shall not rest until both you and my heir, _Our_ heir are safe from harm."

Linda sighed, "It is just, The King of the Goblins."

King Robert eyed his wife from the corners of his eyes.

"Yes?"

"He has a well known reputation around children. I believe, My Lord, if I may be so prudent that it would be wise to not invite him to the celebration."

The King wrinkled his forehead. "Wouldn't that upset him, dearest?"

"Oh, no, no, no!" Soothed the Queen, "He wouldn't even be aware that it was taking place! Do you not recall the trouble we went to, to find him? Though dangers untold and hardships unnumbered! By the time the invitation reaches the poor man it is more likely than not that our child shall be full grown. It would be better that we don't waste more of the generous King's time."

All these points made a great deal of sense to Robert. The castle beyond the Goblin City lay beyond the wildlands, it would take months to reach it and the Queen was already heavily pregnant and although he was a generous man, King Jareth was not well known for using his generosity around those who tried his extremely short patience. Yes, once again his wife was completely right. As he grinned up at her, Queen Linda felt a great sense of relief wash through her. All would be well, her child would be safe. Linda pecked her husband on the cheek before sweeping out of the throne room. Yes, Linda smiled to herself, all would be well.

#/#/#/#/#/#/#

Finally the great day arrived, Trumpets blared, crowds roared their approval and minstrels warbled various tunes about the new Princess. If music be the fruit of love, then love is probably deaf as well as blind. Quite frankly, with all the noise going on, it was a shame aspirin hadn't been invented yet.

King Robert and Queen Linda beamed at the crowd who came forward bearing gifts to the Princess.

"Their royal highnesses, King Hubert and Prince Phillip." Recited the announcer in a monotoned voice. A pompous looking man and his young son pranced forward bearing easily an entire kingdoms taxes worth in presents.

Hoggle attempted to hold in a groan and failed rather miserably. Ignoring the sharp looks from nobles around him, he leaned towards his friend, "Only three days into the world an' they're tryin' auction 'er off." He grumbled.

The wizened fox turned to answer his friend. "Why good Sir Hoggle, tis the way things are done here." Sir Didymus squeaked. Seeing as this bought even more attention to the motley gang, Hoggle refrained from voicing his opinions again.

Thunder rumbled outside and Hoggle had to suppress yet another groan. The rain would make his joints ache for certain.

Following the King were some fairies and Hoggle had to restrain from reaching for his spray gun. They gave they usually floaty, useless things. Hair as black as ebony, and beauty incomparable throughout the kingdom. A nice singing voice to go with her looks. Hoggle zoned out on the last gift but no doubt it was something along the lines of:

'The ability to cook excellent meals for when her husband comes home from his crusading.'

Dear Bog, this was boring, thought Hoggle as it began to steadily pour outside.

"The most worthy and high envoys of the Labyrinth, Sir. Didymus of the bog, Holleg of the wall and Ludo of the rocks."

What?! Hoggle looked around frantically. They were expected to give something! Fortunately Didymus caught Hoggle's eye "Follow my lead brother." He whispered reassuringly.

And so Hoggle twaddled after the fox to the cradle followed by lumbering Ludo.

"Your majesties." Didymus swept a low bow. Hoggle would have followed in pursuit, had he not been afraid of falling flat on his face. He settled for a curt nod instead. Sir Didymus turned to the cradle "Young Princess, I bless upon you, the Spirit of Adventure, may your heart remain young, though you may grow old." Hoggle let out a sigh of relief, he had half been expecting Didymus to throw his rapier in the cradle. No, instead they were giving the Princess similar gifts to the fairies. Hoggle could not believe they had stooped so low.

By this time Ludo had stepped forward. "Ludo... Give," he paused for a second, brows furrowed and Hoggle was certain that the game was over but Ludo's face lit up "Fwendship. Sar-Wah, Never be... Alone."

Now it was Hoggle's turn. As he shuffled towards the cradle his mind raced to find something that would be considered acceptable. Fairy poison was a no, no and he highly doubted it would be appreciated at any rate.

With his mind at a total blank, Hoggle peered into the cradle hoping for divine intervention. A lightning bolt from the storm striking him down right about now would be nice. Then Hoggle saw her and his craggily, old heart melted.

"Princess I promise, should you ever need us, call, and we will be there for you." Baby Sarah gurgled happily as she tried to put her foot in her mouth. Knowing that they could do nothing more the trio began to set back off into the crowd. It was then that the whole room was plunged into darkness.

OoO OoO OoO OoO OoO

The wind howled and the castle doors flung open. The throne room fell silent in fear as lightning cackled and the storm raged on. Hoggle had to grip Didymus' arm to stop him from rushing to the cradle. They knew what was coming, and being heroic wasn't going to stop him.

A single crystal had rolled through the door, the sound of it grating against the floor filling the whole room with unease. As it came to a stop in the centre of the room, King Robert, with sweaty palms and unsteady knees, stood to face the threat, Linda clinging to him.

Despite the rumbling thunder, a pin drop would have rang out in the room.

The crystal raptured into a million glittering, tiny pieces, leaving in it's places an angular man crouched, yards of black material draped regally over his shoulders.

Red eyes glinted from the shadows.

Whispered flittered through the crowd.

Everyone _knew_ of the wildling King but no-one knew very much about him. Aside from the name whispered by desperate whore's late at night wishing away their unborn children, or the words, those dreaded words murmured by mother's who couldn't calm their babes on stormy nights.

The King rose and the crowd scurried in an attempt to get further away from him. He could snap his fingers and they would all drop dead, with that thought the King's teeth glinted into a feral smile. "My, my, my." The crowd strained to catch his words, as his eyes racked the crowd, lingering for a moment on his treacherous subjects. "What have we here?" His eyes continuing to trace banners and buntings that hung limply from the ceiling. "Quite an extravagant celebration, Robert. I feel rather unwanted not receiving an invitation."

Mustering the last of his courage King Robert stumbled forward, his Queen's hands gripping his arms like a vice.

"King Jareth, Y-you h-h-hold... Ahem, You hold No p-power here. If you have something to give the P-p-princess, then, um... Well, get on with it... And um... A-after that bu-b-be gone!"

If possible, The Goblin King's smile widened. "A gift? What a pleasant way to show I mean no ill will to the child I helped conceive."

The throne room filled with a noise akin to the angry buzzing of bees, and the Queen blushed. No doubt the whole kingdom would be tittering with the rumour that she had born his bastard child by the end of the day. She hadn't, but her reputation did not matter to him.

"You are not offended your excellency?" asked the Queen, eyelashes fluttering.

"Offended, my dear?" His casualness shocking to the stiff courtroom into submission,

"No."

Jareth began to stalk closer to the cradle, where the little brat no doubt lay. A dark, glittering mist began to condense in the palm of his gloved hand. Fools, idiots, all of them. It was pure self-control he didn't set alight the kingdoms corps, then again, this could be worse. Wisps of the thick trailed after him, snapping at nobles and whispering dark thoughts. Hate, greed, lust, all things already present in this shamble of a throne room. Drawing on the last evil thoughts the crystal lay in his palm, perfect and complete. A glinting, monstrosity that could curl the toes of even the most battle hardy of knights. This would be his gift to the _beloved_ Princess Sarah. True, she would remain a beautiful woman, with a talent for song, but _this_! Why yes, this would make her uncontrollable. She could break the heart of every man in the kingdom and feel _nothing_. She would yell, bite, kick and scream until the early hours of the morning and no-one would raise a hand against her.

It was the perfect vengeance against her half-witted parents. Gift in hand, the Goblin King leered over the cradle to meet an unexpected sight.

Within the cradle the tiny baby peered up at the King with large doe-like eyes and gurgled. There was no fear, no gossiping hisses, no empty threats in those innocent eyes. For the second time in less an hour, the baby Sarah had melted another heart. The fae was stuck on what to do, if he did not bestow a frightful gift of some sort, he would be mocked, unable to enter the Seliee Court again, however, to harm this child? No! That was unthinkable!

The little Princess reached up with tiny, chubby hands to touch crystal and Jareth quickly jerked his hand away. This would not do at all.

With a refined flick of his wrist the crystal vanished from view. Now with both hands free, he hoisted the Princess from her crib. The contrasting pink frills huddled against black spiky armour would have been humorous had the intention not been clearer. It certainly seemed to startle the Queen into some action.

"No please!" She screeched, stumbling and grabbing at the King's cloak. "Not my baby, not my Sarah. Please, I'll doing anything."

The Goblin King raised an eyebrow, "Anything?" he asked, yanking the cloak from the woman's slack grip. Red-rimmed eyes glazed over, the Queen nodded, this drew a smirk out of the King. She really should have been more careful with her choice in words. The baby regraded her mother thoughtfully sucking on her hand.

"Please," Linda managed to croak, "please don't take my baby."

"He can't!" A kerfuffle broke out as the gate keeper hobbled forward. "Goblin King's ain't allowed to take what hasn' been willing wished away, and thems the rules!"

?/?/?/?/?/?/?/?/?/?/?/?

The King growled low in his throat and the whole room shivered. Hoggle was just happy hadn't wet himself or collapsed. But then again, looking at the King now, his eyes glinting with a mad fire maybe collapsing would have been for the best. He was so short, he doubted anyone would notice.

King Robert stirred hopefully, "Is this true Hogwash?"

Hoggle mumbled something that could have been considered a confirmation but could also have easily been directions on how to make his grandpape's excellent salad.

Didymus stepped forward, sword in hand. "It is true my liege. Brother Hoggle speaks only the finest of truth. Our King cannot leave with the baby Sarah."

Hoggle wished the lightning had struck him when I asked for it. Instead he watched with terror as the King approached the centre of the room, the little lady cooing and leaving a slimy hand print on the King's chin. Jareth didn't seem to notice, "Listen well, all of you. _My_ Princess shall grow in grace and beauty, she will be beloved by all, the pride and joy of the kingdom."

King Robert and Queen Linda nodded slowly.

"Thank-you, once more, for you generosity My Lor-"

The Goblin King held up a gloved hand and the room fell into silence again.

"You have not heard my gift." Drawled the King softly, gloved fingers gently wiping spittle away from the little Princess' mouth. "I offer the Princess Sarah, my hand in marriage. She will love me, fear and do as I say, and in return she will have the gift of immortality."

A collective gasp was heard throughout the room. Hoggle was fairly certain, that had the Princess not been so beloved, or a baby, she would have been stabbed to death by half the women in the throne room (and possibly on or two of the men) in a jealous fit of rage. Queen Linda's eyes filled with tears "Oh thank-you, thank-you, thank-you." It seemed quite likely that the woman was having a fit.

The Fae King's smile turned sharp "Yes, she shall watch you grow old and withered, watch you die. A millennia will come and go, seasons fly by but she herself will stay as beautiful and radiant as she will be the day she turns sixteen."

Didymus one good eye narrowed, and Hoggle severely wished he'd thought of bringing a muzzle along on this trip.

"And if the fair maiden rejects my lord's worthy offer?"

Hoggle was really surprised that Didymus didn't drop dead from the daggers shooting out of the King's eyes. It certainly wouldn't be the first time someone had.

"Should my Sarah defy me, then on her sixteenth birthday, instead of our union, she shall take a bite of a poisoned peach and fall into a deathlike state until she is more ... willing."

Eerie giggles echoed throughout the hall as the goblins voiced their approval.

Placing the tiny Princess back in her crib with a tenderness Hoggle would have thought impossible from the King.

King Jareth made a mocking bow to King Robert and Queen Linda, too busy hiccuping to notice and dissolved into glitter, which was blown away in a gentle breeze, tainted with the scent of peaches.

"Dramatic rat." Mumbled Hoggle.

"Hogwart," The breeze hissed "if you return to the Labyrinth, that I shalt promote you Prince. Prince of the land of stench!" The breeze laughed. Hoggle wasn't overly sure what was funny.

With the mighty King gone the room erupted into chaos. The Queen had begun screaming and wailing, which had made the Princess cry and the Fairies flittered around uselessly attempting to reverse the spell. "True loves kiss?" One asked hopefully, "It worked for that Bianca girl, it would probably work now..." "Yeah, but what if her true love is a troll? Besides the old Goblin already said she'd love him." The other one countered. The last one was crying, no doubt because SHE loved the Goblin King too. Hoggle stood next to Ludo. It was less likely he would be bowled over by everyone rushing that way.

Finally King Robert silenced the room with a quick gesture to the trumpets. The only noise that filled the room was the sound of Queen Linda's strangled sobs.

"Can anyone undo the terrible burden placed upon my daughter?"

Linda only cried louder as various nobles looked away and made excuses. King Hubert made a half mad dash for the door, the prissy Prince railing along in his wake. 'Left the castle furnace running' no doubt, Hoggle hrumphed to himself.

It was one of those times when Hoggle should have best kept his mouth shut though, as the King beadily eyed him up.

With a resigned sigh, King Robert turned to the court, "I believe I have come to a wise decision," The court waited in anticipation.

"Hogwash of the wall step forward."

The feeling of panic rose again in Hoggle's throat, as he stood before the King. What could he have possibly thought of this time which he considered a 'wise decision'? After all he had thought going to the Goblin King for pregnancy advice was a good idea.

The King turned to the crowd, "Fair consorts," He announced, "The Goblin King will come sixteen years from now to collect the _Princess_ Sarah."

The crowd mumbled in agreement.

"But! What if the Princess Sarah tragically died of fever?"

Hoggle didn't like where this was going and neither did the Queen who clung onto the little Princess gasping and murmuring.

"Sixteen years and one day from now, my wife and I will adopt a foundling child raised deep in the forest by three outcasts, that I have _graciously_ allowed sanctuary to. Hogwash, you, the hairy thing and Sir Didymus, will raise my daughter as I cannot, as your gift to her was the promise to be there if the need ever arose."

Hoggle hoped he would get the third time lucky as he wished for lightning again, but it seemed the storm had long since passed.


	2. Hail Linda, Thane of Underland

_*Woahmygosh! A new chapter already! Aren't we just biting at the bit? Yeah, well, I forgot the disclaimer:_

 _I own nothing. Nothing? Tra la la la nothing! All characters from Labyrinth belong to Jim Henson co, and that Hubert guy and his snot nosed brat, Phillip, belong to Disney. I don't own Macbeth either. I have no idea who does._

 _Thanks to the peeps for giving me the heads up about the kinks in chapter 1.*_

From a darkened room, feverous moans came from the bed. Sickness and madness hung in the air as lankly as the brown hair hung from the head of the once proud Queen Linda's head. A soft light shone by her bed, a candle, her constant companion for the last 6 months.

The Queen was watched over by her old nursemaid. She was supposed to be Sarah's as well, that was until the ill fated Christening. A funeral for the baby Princess had been held after the fever. Since that event the Queen had been slowly slipping down hill.

Some of the court suspected that it was because of the words exchanged between the Queen and the King of the Goblin's, who had come to wish his betrothed into the next world. Some of the court said it was from losing her baby after going through so much.

Some of the court had been wrong before.

Linda's eyes were open but if the woman knew her elder was present, she showed no signs of it. The were too glassy, too ... _empty._ They made the nursemaid shudder.

With muffled footsteps, the doctor arrived, a beaky sallow man who enjoyed letting blood a little _too_ much. With the usual pleasantries out of the way, the nursemaid and the doctor hunkered down for the nightly ritual.

On uncertain feet the Queen rose and made her way to the desk on the other side of the room, murmuring as she went.

"Invitations, invitations, however shall it reach him in time? No, it MUST! I command as such! Oh but my baby! My baby! You will never be safe from his grasp! His wretched talons."

An owl hooted from the old yew outside and the unsound Queen nearly ran the last few steps.

"THE OWL! _THE OWL!_ ALWAYS THE HORRID OWL!"

It was surprising her shrieks didn't wake the entire castle.

"Always, always... Come to mock a mourning mother O' Great Majesty? Well she is gone! Gone where a mother's arms cannot reach her! GONE! I know not where! Was it the fever? I cannot... Do not remember. But you will receive your invitation none the less."

With this the Queen drew out sheafs upon sheafs of parchment which spilled over the floor, and with a shaky hands, began to scrawl a letter. Her hysterical pitches floated across the room once more.

"Goblin King, Goblin King, where-ever you may be. Please notice, this notice and you'll notice this notice isn't worth the notice at all." The Queen's giggles quickly turning into stifled cries.

You are invited to my baby Sarah's funeral, but you would attend either way, wouldn't you, lecherous man praying on children. She is too young, too fragile. The Goblin's could have broken her just as you have broken me!"

Sobs filled the room as Queen Linda went on. Around an hour later she ceased her rambling, stood up and went to bed, content now to sleep.

The Doctor turned to the nursemaid, "Insanity isn't something the medical practise can cure, but has anything she's said even half a grain of truth in it, my dear woman?"

The nursemaid shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"Och, who'd know what erd be plaguein' me troubled Lady? She's a wailin' an a moanin' for her babe, cor that'd drive anyun 'round the bend."

The nursemaid leaned in closer to the doctor,

"Now this bein' said in secrecy mind but, betwixt you an' me an' that there owl in the tree, I'd be sayin that she forgot that 'er babe lives on!"

The doctor stifled a gasp as the woman in the bed shifted and sighed in her sleep.

"Of course I had heard whispers but do you mean to say that the young Princess is still amongst the living?"

The old woman nodded conspiratorially.

"Aye, living wit' the fauns an' sprites in the god foresakin' forest, King Robert did declare it himself an' right after he be a burnin' an' a hackin' away all the peach trees in the Underground!"

The owl screeched and both the nursemaid and the Doctor jumped. As a breeze picked up the candle began to splutter in it's holder. The bedroom was thrown into just as the throne room had been six months earlier.

With weary wings the King of the Goblins alighted from the tree outside Queen Linda's window. Forcing the Queen into insanity may not have been _entirely_ his doing but after many long nights of waiting it had proved useful. So his Sarah was in the forest, was she? He had a long search ahead of him.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

 _A/N: So yeah, Linda didn't take overly well to Sarah being taken away or her potential future as Queen of the Goblins. I think I'll have to kill her off. Bye Linda._

 _If you want to watch a similar scene performed really well I would suggest 1971 version of Macbeth. It is rather interesting to note that at the end when they (Heads up: spoilers) cut off Macbeth's head, they actually use a model head based on Charlie Manson's as the director recently had his pregnant wife murdered by the man and he believed that Mr. Manson was the closest thing that a human could get to truly being evil._

 _Also, I'm a really slow typer so this story's going to take a while. Sorry._


	3. Poor Ratchet, he didn't deserve this

Many sad and lonely past for King Robert after his wife leapt from the battlements and without even his daughter to distract him, he began to despair. But nearly fifteen years after the birth of his first daughter a new woman stepped into his life. The Lady Irene was a proud and beautiful woman who provided the King with an heir that he had long sought after. The Kingdom would once again rejoice, but Lady Irene was craftier than the first Queen and announced a miscarriage to the Kingdom. So with a heavy heart she and the King sent her son to live with his half sister deep within the woods under the cover of darkness, where he would remain until he was to old for fairies to swap out of the crib with a changeling child. Little did they know that with just as heavy a heart the King of the Goblins continued to watch over his beloved from his domain in the castle beyond the Goblin City.

Ratchet the Goblin would not have been in this situation if he hand't been so drunk, but then again, he wouldn't have had the guts to own up for his flaws had he been any less drunk. It wasn't the greatest of situations to be in, but that's where he was, in the castle, beyond the Goblin City in front of his King having to explain how he lost the girl.

"And, and so ye sees ye' Kingly-ship, there I was a following the girlie, an there she was a singing and a dancing an she weren't doing no nothing so I says to myself, I says, 'Ratchet, old fellow, you'd been having a hard knock day of work, a good solid two hours to say the least. How 'bout a little nip an a little kip while she be entertaining herself.' An so's when I be awakin' up she's a still going about her merry way just the same but I be forgetting, haha, when you hear this, Oh Excellent One you will nod yer head an say 'Ah, Ratchet, you son of a swine. What a humourful an harmless mistake.' When I sees her I be forgetting that I was lookin' out for a big girlie an not a baby girlie. And so I went an left the lady to go an find myself a baby."

As the story had progressed the King's eyebrows had risen further and further up his forehead and Ratchet was quite certain that pretty soon, they would be lost forever in his scruffy mass of hair.

"And why, dear Rangle," The King leaned forward so Ratchet could see the points of his teeth, "did we start looking for a baby instead of a 'girlie'?"

Ratchet snorted nervously. It had been a habit he had picket up from his dad, who had been a pig, according to the King.

"Oh hahaha, well ye most fearsomely, that's where the comedy be comin' in. Silly old Ratchet, be forgetting that humans are not like goblins, oh no. Ye see, ye most dastardly, where as Goblins start out as babes an then get shorter an tougher an all round better looking, humans on the other foot be startin out as babies, but then, and this be the confusing part mind, they just be getting longer an longer until their hair sprongs out an they shrivel like prunes an die. So ye sees O ' Dashing leader that it really just be the girlies fault for not being a babe or better still, a goblin.

The King drummed his fingers against his lip, and nodded thoughtfully. Ratchet breathed a sigh of relief out of his little snout. The King sure didn't _seem_ to mad. It looked like he might get away with this slip up. He should celebrate, maybe with some more of that excellent ale he'd been sampling as he watched the girl.

The imposing King stood from his throne in a smooth movement, it was clear that Ratchet was about to receive his sentence. Not wanting to miss their favourite form of entertainment, the goblins came streaming out from the woodworks, appearing from under rags, out of pots and beer mugs, a few from hats on top of other goblins heads. No one even flinched when Dingle, who had disappeared around a fortnight ago, crashed slap bang into the middle of the throne room. Punishments were just _that much fun to watch!_ King Jareth looked around the room as if searching for the words to describe just how stupid he thought Ratchet was.

"So Racket, you are... _Accusing_ your future Queen of this mishap? Because she is not a goblin?"

The King sneered, looking all for the world if he had a foul taste is his mouth. Ratchet snorted again.

"Um... Not accusing as such... but, um..."

"Dear me! This _could_ be considered an act of treason, you know."

 **Treason?** Well, that was a dozy, no-one had committed treason since, Ratchet strained to remember, not since the girlie's birth over fifteen years ago. What had it been the threatened punishment for the dwarf? Sweat trickled down the rolls of his fat little neck. No. Surely it hadn't been that bad. The King was most likely joking. His Majesty would never send someone as unimportant as _him_ to a place like _that_. A place, like the, l-l-like the, Ratchet swallowed down his bile. _The Bog._

A feline grin spread across the King's lips as the goblins waited with anticipation to see how this would be delivered. A good bogging hadn't happened in a long time.

"Tell me, Ratcatch," The King said amiably, placing his hand on the stiff little goblin's shoulder. "When you look out that window what do you see?"

Ratchet whimpered. "The Labyrinth?"

"Yes! The _Labyrinth_!" said the King, still crouched at the goblin's height. It was surprising just how many extra syllables he could add to a word. "And do you know what my favourite part of the _whole_ Labyrinth is?" he said, rising to stare out the window.

"The Fiery Forest?" asked Ratchet hopefully.

The King's laughter rang throughout the court room, and the goblins quickly joined in although they weren't entirely sure what was going on. Ratchet shoulder sagged with relief. Laughter was good. Laughter meant happiness. Happiness didn't mean the Bog.

"No Ratchet, not the Fiery Forest, I quite had somewhere else in mind."

The Goblins bellowed as Ratchet soared through the window. The last thing that the befuddled goblin remembered feeling before he squelched into the bog was the King's boot on his behind.

Back in the Castle miles away, the Goblin King inspected a scuff mark on his shoe. After flagging down the nearest Goblin and commanding a tin of boot polish to be present when he returned, the King went over to window from which Ratchet had just made his departure and vaulted smoothly over the ledge. Wind soared past as arms became wings, facial features made smaller, rounder.

The only thing that could make the already brilliant day incomparable would be to visit his beloved. After all, introductions should have been made long before now.

/ / / / / /

His beloved in question was currently hiding deep within the woods with her carers, Hoggle, Didymus and Ludo and the newest member of their family Tobias, or, as he was better known, Toby. Sarah still sometimes thought the name 'screaming brat' was more appropriate, and in the rocky beginning of their relationship, she had considered more than once asking Ludo to squish Toby under some boulders so that she would get more than two hours of sleep a night, but as time wore on Sarah eventually grew to tolerate and even maybe care about him. Just a _little_.

Said baby was playing on a small, woven rug a short distance from his sister. _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ Sarah's bare, little feet moved deftly back and forth, her arms lingering in front of her, _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._

There were three things she was not allowed to ask her carers, _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ The first, was about her real parents, _1 and a 2, Step,_ any mention of her parents, the little mill would go silent and Sir Didymus would take an extra interest in the ceiling, _3 and a 4, step._

The second thing, Sarah had noticed, was bringing up the subject of love, _1 and a 2, Step._ Sarah remembered the first time she ever bought up love, she had been playing in the garden, and had attempted to approach the subject with Hoggle. _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ In response she got an awkward shuffle of the feet, a pat on the head and the promise of having his grandpape's special salad for dinner if she washed up right then and there.

 _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ She didn't ask after that. _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ The third and final thing, that under no circumstances was to be bought up was dancing. Sure, Ludo could teach you the language of the rocks. _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ Perhaps the brave little Sir Didymus knew etiquette back to front, from duelling to dining and no-one could compare to Hoggle when it came to telling which plant would taste great and which one could make you blue in the face or the cunning and masterful art of tactful retreat. _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ But one mention of a waltz or a ballroom and eyes would glaze over, heads would nod vacantly and that would be the end of that. _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._

A nymph had let her in on a secret, she had said, "If you learn to dance blindfolded, then you can dance just about anywhere." _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ That was why Sarah was now dancing in the middle of the woods, with a long strip of fabric securely fastened over her eyes. _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ It seemed like her advice was working too, because she hadn't stumbled or fallen in ages!

 _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and -_

Sarah let out a little cry as the ground rushed to met her body. _Damn!_ Well, _hadn't_ being the key word, she supposed as the grass tickled her nose. Toby gabbled and clapped as his older sister peeked out from under the blindfold. "Oh, you can be quiet." Was the peevish response, as Sarah stretched a crick from her bruised back. So, blindfold firmly back in place, Sarah was determined to start over.

However, something was different this time. _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._ Sarah's heart fluttered in her chest as rough leather wrapped around her slender fingers. A strong arm slipping around her waist. Her mind a whirl wind of emotions, as she was swayed and swirled and dipped back and forth, to and fro across the clearing. Sarah realised all quite suddenly that she had stopped spinning, well, her body had, her mind one the other hand-

Reeled, as a fleeting kiss brushed against her cheek, and another, and another, until a fiery trail of kisses made it's way down towards her neck, causing a small, breathless sigh to escape from Sarah's lips, followed by... a _shudder?_

This wasn't right! There was only one boy who knew where she was and... Well! Now Sarah was _never_ going to admit that she had enjoyed **that** experience and quickly put distance in between herself and her assailant, a cold fury simmering just beneath the surface.

"Well, _Phillip,"_ remarked Sarah, reaching back to undo her blindfold. "You showed a lot more tact than usual, I must say. All though what does surprise me is the fact you had the guts after last time. Don't worry, Hoggle said that the warts will go away a month or two, although you still may experience some pain when going to..."

Sarah wide eyes blinked in the sudden change of light.

It wasn't Phillip.

It was time for, as her dear, old Hoggle would put it, a 'tactful retreat.' Sarah took off at full speed, dodging swiftly in and out to the trees. Only after the sound of curses and a grunts had faded long behind her, did she stop, gasping for breath. Why, oh why had she chosen today of all days to wear a corset? That had been to close too, She could handle the slimly little toe rag Phillip, but a Fae! Hoggle and Sir Didymus would never forgive if something were to happened to her or... _TOBY!_

Sarah's heart leapt in her throat. She had forgotten Toby! Sarah slunk her way back to the clearing. Oh poor Toby! Maybe the man had gone and hadn't noticed Tobey at all... Then again... If he was a Fae... And if Fae did what Hoggle said they did to babies...

Sarah picked up her pace a little.

Crouched in the bushes Sarah watched the sharp featured Fae man as he bounced Tobey up and down on his knee, cooing nonsense.

"My, you are a _plucky_ little fellow, aren't you? If your sister doesn't come back, then I think I'll have to keep you! I'll call you Jareth, after all, you've got my eyes."

From her spot in the dirt Sarah tried hard not to grit her teeth. _He_ ** _knew_** _she was going to come back! And he was waiting for her? Let him wait!_

The Fae man (Jareth?) had gone back to babbling to her to her baby brother. "Why yes, yes! Now what _to do_ with your sister over there?"

Sarah stiffened as the blood froze in her veins. _He knew where she was?!_

She watched as pointed teeth appeared from his lazy smirk.

"Come out, come out where ever you are... _Sarah_."

The sound of her name rolling of his tongue drew her into action. Eyeing the man cautiously she made her way to stand in front of him tugging nervously at her sleeve, trying her best to ignore her muddy skirt and scratched arms.

"Please, I want my brother back, if it's all the same. I won't tell anyone I've seen you," Or just had the most wonderful dance of my life, her mind continued for her. Stop it, she shook herself, this is about Toby.

"Please," her voice shook, while tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. "He must be so scared-"

Toby let out a bubbling laugh and clapped his pudgy hands together. ' _Traitor'_ thought Sarah.

"Oh, I don't think I could just **give** something as _precious_ as young Tobias back."

Sarah gnawed her lip uncertainly, "Are you suggesting a trade?"

The man's mismatched eyes lit up, "A trade! What an excellent suggestion!"

Sarah felt her anger rear again, "But I have nothing to give!"

The lazy smirk widened into a grin, "I'm sure you could find something as equally precious as Toby."

What was this man playing at? She shook her head, "No, my family are quite poor."

With a fluid movement, the Fae stood in front of her, barely a hair breadth away. Toby gurgled happily, bouncy on his hip.

"So, no jewels? No fine dresses? **_Nothing_** _at all_ to pay with?"

Sarah shook her head again.

"Something else then," Heavily hooded eyes began to trace her form, and Sarah suppressed a shiver. The haughty Fae man circled like a vulture, "Let me see... Something as precious as your baby brother... How about..." He paused in his pacing, one hand tapping his chin, the other still balancing Toby, "A _Kiss_?"

The breath caught in her throat. What had he said?

"A-a kiss?"

Something about kissing a Fae rung in the back of her mind.

"A Kiss."

It had been something Hoggle mentioned one time. Or maybe Sir Didymus.

"Wilfully given." the man continued in a low voice, "Just. One. _Little._ Kiss."

That was it! A wilfully given kiss to a Fae may put you under their power, or control if they so wish it, and Sarah could see why so many had been fooled before, it must be quite hard to resist. It **was** quite hard to resist... But there was a loophole. The man never said _who_ she had to give her kiss to.

Making her eyes as wide as possible, Sarah tried her hardest to look suitably shocked, terribly scandalised, and yet mildly flattered at the same time. The Fae drank it up, and Sarah wondered how long she could play the game, so she could spend a little longer studying the man. Purely out of interest, of course.

"J-just one kiss?"

"Unless you ask for more later on." Was the purred response.

Sarah bit back a laugh. Well he was confident, she'd give him that much for free! Now for the harder part.

"What is your name?"

The Fae raised a questioning eyebrow.

"It's just... I know this might sound silly and childish but I..." Sarah dug a toe in the dirt, trying to look embarrassed,

"I wanted to know the name of the person I give my first proper kiss to."

Nope, he fell for it. Looking delightfully smug, the Fae leaned forward until Sarah could feel his breath on her neck.

"My name, is Jareth."

Sarah nearly sang with relief. Names hold power with the fair folk. Now if things went pear shaped, she could banish him.

"Jareth." Said Sarah, rolling the name around in her mouth for good measure. Jareth's eyes filled with a strange light, which made her feel uncomfortable. Suddenly she wasn't so upset about missing out on that kiss.

"Um... So, _Jareth,_ would you mind if I... Um... Prepared myself a little?"

The Fae unconsciously ran his tongue along his top lip.

"Be my guest."

Closing the already tiny space in between them Sarah placed one hand against his chest, carefully avoiding the open front of his shirt. Toby made a disgruntled noise at becoming the subject of a human sandwich. 'Only a little bit longer kid.' Thought Sarah as her other hand absent mindedly played with a few strands of shockingly blonde hair.

Jareth made a small sound of pleasure. _She had done that?! She had made_ ** _him_** _, the handsome Fae man, make that sound?!_ As she locked eyes with the regal man, Sarah figured that she had better get on with it before she lost her nerve. Slowly leaning forward, Sarah carefully placed a kiss on her baby brother's head. Eyes still dead on Jareth's, head up, chin jutted out, Sarah placed her final blow.

"One kiss. Wilfully given."

Oh to hell with it.

"I don't think I'll be wanting anymore."

The man's changeling eyes flashed with a mixture of emotions ranging from anger to surprise and even a glint of amusement could be found there.

"Clever... But not what I expected."

"I'm not going to exhaust myself living up to your expectations." Sarah snapped back.

That received a bark like laugh.

"No I suppose you shouldn't, should you? And you did comply with my, _demands_. I suppose sweet Sarah, that you have won your brother back."

Sarah felt her face break into a smile as she cuddled Toby close to her face, whispering little things to him as she untangled herself from the Fae man, Jareth. _When_ did his hands have the time to get _there?_

Looking around at the shadows flitting over the trees, Sarah felt her stomach drop a little. It was late. Very late. Hoggle would be incredibly grumpy. Shooting the Fae a final glance she dashed off towards the trees again, this time _with_ Toby.

"I have to go."

"Sarah! Stop!" Jareth commanded.

Balancing on the balls of her feet at the brink of the forest, Sarah paused for a moment.

"May I see you again?"

Sarah was thrown into shock at the request.

"What?"

"When will I next see you?"

Taken a back, Sarah thought for a moment.

"You may see me whenever you want to, but only if you respect my space and my privacy. I want you to be my friend first. Then after that, what ever happens, happens."

Sarah didn't see it because she had already started running home again, but from behind her the Fae King grinned. He had a game to play, and he was completely planning on winning what he desired.

( ( ( ( (

 _A/N: Hey, hey!_

 _Just a heads up to you all, I've got a comp all weekend so the chances of getting regular decent updates anytime in the for seeable future look rare._

 _If you're really bored I suggest watching the Princess bride. It's along the same vein as Labyrinth but more intentionally funny. Or if you're in the mood for sexy British guys, Gattaca is an excellent Sci-Fi Noir. (cause that's an actual thing!)_

 _To explain the GK in this chapter I think it's pretty easy to say he's not a very patient whatever he is and his views on restraint are quite different from that of a normal persons. He does have feelings for Sarah, but I think that there just very deep and he's been detached from everything for just so long that in his eyes lust and mind games are basically love and flirting._

 _As for Sarah, yeah Jareth ticks all the physical boxes, but she's so very, very young and doesn't really understand anything other than platonic love. So yes, she does like him in a sense at this stage but no, she's not just going to faint straight into his loving arms and scream, do me, do me. Love is a NEW THING, she's grown up in a house full of... Male things? The whole concept would be hella confusing for her._

 _She left Toby behind because she forgot about him, yes that makes her a bad sister but, she did wish her brother away to the goblins in the movie for christ's sake!_


	4. Discussions of the more serious kind

Robert had a long and hard think about life, which must have been hard for him to do. His mother had always warned him he shouldn't do to much of it. In a few months his daughter would be sixteen, and although it made him sad that he had never been able to see his daughter grow up, and although King Robert didn't realise it, it was almost sadder that once she came back, as a sixteen year old she would have to be presented to court and then he would marry her to the future King of Bristonia, Phillip.

Robert saw benefits in the trade, to say the least. Bristonia's lands were vast and next to Robert's. Not only would the marriage unite the two kingdoms, but due to the close proximity of the kingdoms, he would get to see Sarah all the time! (Or so he thought)

Furthermore, no one had seen nor goblin hide or scraggly tail of the Goblin King in over a decade! He'd probably died, figured Robert. Then, if he was dead, it would be safe to presume that Sarah could come back a little earlier than sixteen, so that she and Phillip could hit it off.

Yes, that was a good plan. King Robert would write to his advisor immediately! Preparations must be made for the return of the Princess and his son. All was well in his world.

A world away in a forest, all was not well. Sarah and Phillip were absolutely, most definitely **NOT** hitting it off. If someone was watching, which someone was, they may have presumed that an older boy was shouting at a tree, in actual fact he was shouting up a tree.

The boy was going through that awkward stage where the nose is slightly too big and the bodily odours slightly too strong, and right now he was focused on one thing. Getting a girl.

"Come down from there fair forest maiden."

"No." Came the stubborn response.

"Please? If you give me a kiss, I'll make you my mistress once I become King."

A rotten peach bounced off his head, leaving a sticky mess in his mousy hair.

"I said **NO** , _Prince_ Phillip. Now stop bothering me and buy another one of those houses full of cats you're always bragging about."

Sarah could not _believe_ she was in this situation! Her one day off when she didn't have to baby sit her little brother (Who was currently teething, so Sarah was back to two hours of sleep) or do her lessons and the infernal Prince of Stench had followed her to her secret hide out and to escape him she got stuck up a peach tree. Figures.

"It is considered an honour for a peasant to become a Prince's lover." Said Phillip angrily.

"It would be a bigger honour to be left alone by a Prince." Sarah shot back.

"I'm certain we could find some pace to be left alone together."

Ewww, Sarah shuddered, causing it to rain peaches on the Prince. That sort of thing ALWAYS sounded so sliming coming from him. Slimier than Hoggle pickled cucumbers and well... Let's just say she didn't want to think about that.

Sarah's mind continued to drift drowsily, the warm sum beating down on her. She had been so _happy_ today too! Turning around expecting to see her Fae friend and instead being faced with Phillip was not what she had intended.

After her first encounter with the man she had grown quite close to him. It seemed whenever she left the house she would turn around to find him dozing against a tree as if he'd been there all day or talking chatting with a tree spirit as if they'd been good friends for years. And golly, tree spirits were temperamental and untrusting at the best of times!

Occasionally she would find out little tibits about his life.

For example one time, early in the morning, Sarah was aimlessly strolling through the woodland, when off in the distance, she noticed two figures embracing each other. She was about to turn around, slightly embarrassed, when she noticed a shock of blonde hair. "Such a flirt." Sarah grumbled. It was to early for flirting.

Catching sight of Sarah, who had stopped to pick flowers (and _maybe_ pretend that she wasn't watching him), Jareth gave the dryad a short bow and strode down to where Sarah was collecting armfuls of daisies.

He got a coy smile.

"Morning Jareth, reacquainting ourselves with old friends, are we?"

This got a laugh, "Did you like what you saw, you little minx?"

Sarah smile widened into a grin, "Oh **_I_** certainly wasn't looking, but I would certainly say she was enjoying herself. Planning on seeing her again Jareth?"

"No, no just completing a payment."

"Oh... I see." Sarah's minuscule romantic hopes and dreams were crushed. Of course. That was it. Money was useless to forest spirits so you had to pay them in different ways, some times a simple song would do. Sometimes other... _transactions_ were required.

Jareth chuckled at her crestfallen face. "Sarah, I am betrothed, to the most stunning, headstrong, courageous creature I have ever had the most _ultimate pleasure_ of meeting." His eyes had her pinned to the spot and Sarah shivered. What _was_ with this cool morning breeze? "I can assure you that I would never fool her around in such a way."

So that was how and all she found out about his bride to be.

Another time she'd been collecting brightly coloured stones in the stream, as Jareth watched on lazily. A sudden splash in the water caught her eye and on closer inspection she noticed a stout, vicious-looking creature watching her intently from the bushes. With a yelp she backed out of the stream and tripped over a tree root, landing with a thud in Jareth's lap.

"Eager little thing, aren't we?" Had been the purred response.

To this day she still remembered the humiliation! She was still shaken from seeing the little critter but Jareth was never going to let her forget this! Some where along the lines his arms had entwined around her hips, trapping her against his chest. If she was being honest Sarah had been quite happy for the warmth and support.

Sarah's breath caught in her throat as his lips pressed roughly into her hair.

"Now, what could have _possibly_ driven such an enticing, young thing into my arms?"

"Um... It was a, uh, Hobgoblin, I believe. In the bushes over there. It startled me, and, uh, well, here I am now!" She laughed nervously

Jareth's eyes narrowed and glittered dangerously. Sarah seriously had to resist the urge to bolt.

"A _Goblin?_ In the _bushes?"_

Sarah was roughly forced from Jareth's lap as he prowled closer to where she had seen the misshaped creature.

"How ... _amusing._ I'm almost _certain_ that their King had most _strictly ORDERED_ them not to enter this side of the wildlands, unless otherwise commanded."

Jareth thrust his hand into the bush viciously, wrenching the squealing thing aloft in the air. Sarah watched on in horrified shock. An icy fear flowed through her veins freezing her in place.

"And _were_ you?" He continued in a low voice.

"Were I, what your most regalness?" The goblin had a strange squawk like quality to his voice. 

_"_ _Were you commanded to enter this side of the wildlands?"_ The poor thing whimpered, _"_ Hurry up now. It's a _yes_ or a _no._ Surely not to challenging, even for the likes of _you."_

The goblin muttered something under his breath. Jareth's head tilted predatorily to the side.

"What was that?"

"No, your worshipfulness, I were not commanded ta this side o' da wildlands." murmured a little louder.

"I see, and we _both_ know what happens to those who **disobey** their King so openly, don't we?" Jareth hissed.

"Oh no's, oh no's please your almighty one. Not there. No, no, no not the bog." It moaned.

"Oh yes, _yes,_ ** _yes_** _._ The _Bog!"_ The Fae exclaimed as he swiftly bought a crystal towards the Goblin.

The sight of the opaque sphere snapped Sarah out of her fear and she sprung into action, leaping from her spot on the ground to latch onto the gloved arm.

"NO! Jareth, STOP!" She begged, clinging onto the arm holding the glowing orb. "It wasn't hurting ANYONE. It just frightened me. That's all! Can't you see that it wasn't hurting anyone?"

The Goblin whimpered softly as it pawed at Jareth's hand around his throat.

Jareth growled, "Sarah let go. It is not _your_ ** _place_** to stop me punishing this thing."

"Any it's not _YOUR_ place to take matters into your own hands!" Sarah cried. "Just- just send him back." She coaxed, stroking his tensed forearm. Large pooling eyes gazed up at him with apprehension, "Please Jareth. The Goblin King can deal with his subject."

Jareth looked resigned. "Fine. For you _sweet_ Sarah." He glared at the pitiful creature, still gasping for air, "The King **shal** l deal with you when he returns." and without further warning, Jareth rammed the crystal forcefully into the Goblin's side. A white light filled the forest and when Sarah finally blinked away the black spots from her eyes, all that was left in Jareth's hands was a fine trickle of glitter.

"I could have handled it." Said Sarah softly. Jareth continued to watch the glitter fall for a moment before turning back to her. Sarah tried her best not to flinch away, unsure if he was still as angry as before.

"Come now Sarah," He soothed. "Surely a _mere goblin_ would not have been that terrifying for you!"

"No, it was not the Hobgoblin."

The wind rustled through the leaves like the sound of pattering feet running through the trees and there was an uncomfortable silence between them, which Sarah tried in vain to fill.

"It called you 'worshipfulness.'"

"So it did." Jareth said cooly.

"You're a part of the Seelie Court, aren't you?" Ventured Sarah.

A teasing element came back into Jareth's voice, " _Oh_? And why would you say _that?_ "

"Well... Um... It's just, You're a Fae... I think... And the way you wear your hair and make-up, it's regal I suppose and your clothes... Um... and the Goblin called you by a title and you seem to know the Goblin King, or you know he's not in his castle right now. So that's why I just kind of presumed..."

"That I'm a _handsome_ Prince of the Seelie court?"

"Something like that." Muttered Sarah.

"Something like that wouldn't be _wrong_ , I presume." Mused Jareth

"The girl you're marrying? What about her? Is _she_ a fairy Princess?" Sarah asked in a breathless voice.

"Something like that." Jareth said softly.

The sadness lacing his voice reminded Sarah of the goblin for some strange reason.

"Will it be okay? The Goblin, I mean. The King of the Goblin's wouldn't do anything to bad to it?" Sarah queried.

Jareth frowned slightly, "Nothing that I wouldn't do."

Sarah's memories came to an abrupt end there as a rustling disturbed her from her thoughts. Sarah tried, rather uselessly, to rub sleep from her eyes. Phillip had never been able to climb a tree before she thought nervously, but then again, that may not stop him from trying, she thought as the rustling got closer. Her eyes simmered with a determined anger. Well she wasn't about to go down without a fight.

"I thought I told you. Leave. Me. Alone." The rustling stopped for a moment, before continuing. "If you don't, I'll stick your head in a beehive." She warned.

A low chuckle resounded by her feet and a blonde mass appeared from the leafy canopy. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, her entire body untensed. It was only Jareth. That was good thing too, Sarah thought sluggishly, she didn't know if there were any bee hives around here.

"A frightful suggestion precious. Whatever could have put you in this mood? Or _whoever_ perhaps?"

Sarah let out a melodramatic groan and prodded his head with an outstretched toe, yawning.

"Thank you for your kind help Fae, I will never forget your services to me."

"And one day _fair forest maiden_ I shall collect a payment for my services." Said Jareth assisting Sarah down from the tree, strong arms hoisting her from the tree, and she slumped gently against the peach tree. Stuck between a Fae and a barky place, Sarah thought as slim fingers lingered against her waist.

"Perhaps I shall collect my payment... _Today_." Jareth's voice was little more than a whisper, head leaning in to claim her lips, claim her.

"Perhaps not." Sarah said sleepily, stretching a sore spot out of her back and successfully manoeuvring out of Jareth's grasp. "Hiding up a tree from an overbearing Prince is hard work, I'll have you know." Sarah muttered curling up at the base of the tree, eyelids fluttering serenely in the dappled sunlight.

"Ah! So it was the boy who put you in such a foul mood." Jareth smirked as he lowered himself down next to Sarah.

"Yes. All this foolish talk of marriage." Sarah snuggled against Jareth, unconsciously seeking warmth.

"You see marriage as foolish?" questioned Jareth.

Sarah eyed the Fae blearily, "From what I gathered from Phillip's talk yes. The girl is more or less sent out onto a market where the man who has the most money," Sarah yawned, "or the largest kingdom, or the best claim, something like that, gets to have her. She is dressed up like his own personal dolly in clothing that he provides for her and is displayed in public events whenever he wants. It's just not fair! I don't want anyone to have that kind of control, that kind of power over me!"

Sarah finished her rant by sinking on to the Fae's shoulder.

"I'll _never_ marry a boy like Phillip."

"I see," Jareth drawled slowly, "And what if it were not union between you and someone like that detestable pest?" He drew away from Sarah leaving her lying disgruntled in the dirt with a leafy canopy overhead.

"A _Fae..._ per say?" Jareth leaned over her questioningly.

"Someone more like _myself_? Perhaps that would be to closer your _high standards_?"

Sarah rolled onto her side, effectively rearranging herself so that there was no longer a tree root prodding her back (Also effectively arranging herself so that a certain, internally cursing, Fae had less access to her lips, although she wasn't aware of this).

"It would be just the same Jareth." Sarah murmured drowsily. "Except it would be forever and ever and ever. To be trapped with someone you didn't love for all eternity. How..." Sarah sighed deeply. "How horrible."

Jareth's eyes were barely slits, "It is considered an _honour_ for a mortal," he nearly spat the word, "to become a Fae's paramour." He finished in barely a hiss.

A small smile flitted across Sarah's face, he was in a worse mood than the teething Toby, "You sound like Phillip."

Jareth's face hardened into an unreadable mask, his mouth a firm line and cat-like eyes glittered with venom.

" ** _Really_**. Well then, give my _regards_ to your **'bosom companion'** , _Phillip,_ next time you see him, _won't you_?" He said in acidic tones.

Sarah attempted to mumble a response but sleeps call was to strong and as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier she gave in to sleep at last.

A very frightened, extremely cold Sarah woke up all alone, hours later, when a fat rain drop hit her cheek. Hoggle and Sir Didymus were going to be furious with her! This was the second time she was late around that Fae! Sarah looked around to scold the man but Jareth was nowhere in sight.

# # # # # # # # # ## # # # #

Hoggle gawked at the monstrous frills of material set on the low, wooden table of the mill house, and then at the proud, beaming faces of Sir Didymus and Ludo. "Well... It be pink."

The pair nodded hopefully, "T'was the but the height fashion from when I was in court." Didymus pitched in from the bench beside the dress. Hoggle bit his tongue to avoid pointing out that Didymus had been to court once, and it had been for a costume ball.

Sarah had been sent out for the day and the little lad had been set down for his afternoon nap. So hurriedly the dwarf the fox and the rock monster had pulled various presents out from hiding places to compare and make sure everything was ready. Except everything was so completely, utterly, totally unready. And as for Sarah's birthday dress...

"Honest to truth, I's be speechless."

Words could not be found to describe just how awful this fuchsia creation was.

Ludo, who was sitting on the floor as they were yet to find a chair that catered to his needs, raised his scraggily head.

"Hoggle... Like... Dwess?"

Hoggle hoped on the bog that he wasn't turning a steady shade of purple. This was Sarah's last 'foundling day' with them and the King had sent length after length of material in the most horrid shade of pink imaginable with a note explaining that they should measure Sarah up so she would have something presentable to wear for when she and little baby Toby arrived at court two weeks before her birthday.

Now it was only four weeks away and the outcome was being to look woeful. Nearly as woeful as the dress painstakingly hand-stitched by Ludo's clumsy hands and heart-wrenchingly designed by Sir Didymus. So the outcome was actually _extremely_ woeful.

"Hoggle Like?" Ludo repeated.

"Um, well, it not be being my cup of ale exactly..." Hoggle stared guiltily at Ludo's crestfallen face "... But, um, that being said, It's not to say the little missy won't be liking it." Hoggle added quickly.

He felt his wrinkly, old heart squeeze at the grins plastered on Didymus and Ludo's faces.

"And how fares the Lady's trial cake old friend? Is it truly befitting of a Princess?"

Hoggle shuffled around the table to reach the blackened caldron hanging over the chimney hearth.

"Now this only be a trial run." said Hoggle as he cautiously prodded at the spongey mass, with it's strangely moss like consistency, in the cauldron, before scooping it out and setting it on a plate.

Didymus nibbled on a piece before practically throwing it back on the plate. "My... What an... Unusual... Flavour." The wizened knight strained.

Ludo responded more simply by gagging. Hoggle had known he should have just made his grandpape's special salad.

This was not brewing up to be a good day at all.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Sarah was not having a good day at all, she thought as she passed the tree in the shape of the old hag of the third time. She should have never had taken directions from a squirrel! A squirrel of all animals!

"Stupid, stupid, STUPID!" She cursed at herself.

Everyone knew that squirrels forgot where they hid half their own nuts. How one earth had she expected one to remember where the abandoned ruins were.

Why was she trying to get to the abandoned ruins? She asked her self for close to the millionth time. Oh yeah, Jareth had gone missing, and the ruins were looking like a final, desperate option.

Sarah paced frustratedly before sitting down on a misshapen rock (She asked permission first of course).

It was nearly a month since she had seen Jareth and despite her current grumpiness, she had long moved past anger at the Fae to a deep, dark worry. It was almost surprising that Hoggle and Didymus hand't noticed but they seemed distant at the moment. Ludo, in his own special way showed his concern and Sarah had started spending her nights snuggled up next to his warm fur instead of in her bed.

Jareth had been with her close to everyday for the past year and now he was nowhere to be found.

Had he been taken away that day under the peach tree? From right under her nose too! Sarah's mind ran wild trying to understand it, ANY of it!

Had Phillip killed him? Something about that thought lingered in the back of her mind.

Sarah crumpled her eyebrows in thought. She wasn't sure the weak Prince would be able to take down a fully grown Fae lord on his own but... It snapped into place whilst a cold dread rose through her body.

A heavy weight seemed to hang from her stomach.

Phillip's sword was iron.

Wasn't iron deadly to the Fae?

Sarah hugged her arms around herself as the wind stirred in the trees, in a low feral moaning way and her eyes welled with tears. Jareth couldn't be dead! The Fae were immortal! No, he was just being kept away. It was probably busy in the courts at the moment. Perhaps he was having a glorious honeymoon with his fairy Princess!

Phillip couldn't be responsible. Could he?

Sarah felt the hairs prick on the back of her neck. She was certain that she could feel eyes following her.

Stop it! Sarah snapped to herself. No one was visible from trees in the dusky half light. The feeling of a storm tingled in the air and Sarah shivered. She should be getting back. She didn't want to get drenched again or even more lost come to think of it.

Sarah rose from the rock and politely thanked it before setting off uncertainly to what may, or may not, have been the way home.

A twig snapped from behind her.

"Ooh, You're imagining things!" Sarah muttered to herself, before setting off on the stony ground. Sarah was less sure when she heard a second twig breaking. Sarah was growing anxious. Maybe it was a bunny? She hoped setting off at a quicker pace.

After the third branch, Sarah couldn't take it anymore! She spun around to face the threat, her blown out hair creating a halo and peered into the gloom wearily. She was tired! Tired and alone and so dreadfully scared. She locked her eyes on a shadow, leaning casually against the roughened bark of a tree.

The silhouette watched her back with casual disinterest.

Sarah's heart leapt in her throat.

"Jareth?"

The figure cocked his head to the side as he swept forward, garbed head to booted toe in black. The heavy weight in her stomach dissolved and Sarah had to resist squealing as she ran forward to hug him. "Oh, it is you!" She spoke with her face pressed into his leather breast plate "You're all right! I was so _worried_..."

The air that wafted over her was tinged with something unpleasant. It was a smell Sarah could never forget because of the memories it bought back. Memories of Hoggle shakily singing a rowdy shanty about a fairy and a troll and Didymus reciting stories of the olden, more _chivalrous day_ s well until past midnight before passing out. It was the smell of ale.

"Are you... Drunk?"

Sarah pushed away from Jareth a little so she could look at his face. He looked awful. Waxy skin peeped out from under disheveled and matted, grey blonde-hair and was pulled tight over sunken features. The eyes holding more of the dangerous glitter than usual.

Jareth had pulled back to examine Sarah in return, turn her this way and that in his arms, drinking in all her features, like he had been drinking ale not a moment ago.

"Extremely."

Sarah was astounded.

"Why?"

Jareth growled playfully deep in his throat, slowly stalking towards here, Sarah hastily took a step back.

" _Why?_ Well, my dear, _dear_ Sarah. I'll tell you, _why."_ Jareth had continued stalking towards Sarah who took another step back and had now found that she had run out of places to go as she felt the harsh trunk of a tree press along her back.

"It all began with a _girl._ " He said in a sing-song voice, slowly pressing the length of his body against the fear stricken Sarah's. She couldn't think. He was too close. "My _beloved_ , my _betrothed._ ** _Mine._** _"_ Jareth took a fist full of her brown hair watching intently as long strands of the stuff sifted through his fingers.

"Oh how I love her, worship the very _Ground_ on which she treads, but sweet Sarah, she is so very cruel." The lilting quality of his voice, along with him gently tracing her face began to be lulling her to sleep. Sarah shook herself slightly. She couldn't let her guard down. Not around a drunken Jareth. Sarah gulped as the Fae lord began to press slow, demanding circles into her hip with his other hand.

"So very, _very_ cruel." Jareth whispered, his mouth beginning to trace Sarah's jawline. Sarah's eyes flashed with a hot fire.

"Jareth. _Stop this_." Sarah commanded.

Jareth's mouth stopped it's path, hovering over her neck.

" _Why?_ Why. Should. I? _Why_ can I _not_ take what _I_ desire? What I _want?_ What I _need?"_ His fingers gripped roughly at her arms.

 _"_ Is there a point to live without the _sun?_ Hm? A point to living without her love?"

He seemed to be choking on the words, delirium scrawled across his face. All this only riled up Sarah more and she pushed away from him, chin thrust out in a disgusted manner.

"Stop it! Stop it now!" Her voice cracking, "You're acting like a spoilt brat who hasn't gotten his favourite toy."

Sarah saw the steely glint in his eye and her heart stopped. She ducked behind the tree a split second before he lunged, gloved hands missing her by a whisper. Sarah ran ferns whipping at her legs, twigs snagging her hair but Sarah just and she ran and ran until she collapsed, The ever perusing Jareth only one step behind her all the way. Sarah sucked in bursts of sweet, cool air, still tainted with the oncoming storm. He was close now. She could feel it.

"Come out, come out where ever you are Sarah." He taunted. Sarah's mind flashed back to when they first met. A loop hole. There had to be a loop hole. There was always a loop hole with the Fae. A word or... Or a phrase! Something! Anything!

Sarah tried her hardest not to shudder the Fae draped himself over her. He chuckled darkly, cloak pooling around the two of them.

"Do you _fear me,_ Sarah?"

Sarah, set her eyes straight ahead, staring at nothing. A persistent roar fired up at the back of her head.

"Come now precious, How about _love?_ Do you love me?"

A thick taste settled in the back of her mouth as her ears continued roared with the sound of rushing blood.

"Please _Sarah,"_ He coaxed, _"_ This is not attractive _behaviour_. Smile, For me? Will you _do._ " Jareth's voice started softly became more and more commanding with every word said.

" _As. I._ ** _Say_** _?_ "

The roaring grew louder until, it blocked out everything. The wind in the trees. The forest creatures. Even Jareth. All she could focus on now was beating him and waiting until he was sober. Then she was going to whoop him up the side of the head until he apologised **or** until she felt better.

"She'll hate you forever, I suppose... If you do this." Sarah said nonchalantly, still unseeing and unfeeling as Jareth continued to lay treacherous kiss after kiss on every inch of exposed skin.

"Your future wife that is."

"Hate," Jareth replied hungrily between kisses, "is a passion, and a passion is always better than indifference, than not feeling anything. And by my word I _will_ ** _make_** her feel for me as I do for her." He began the feverous kissing again, almost angrily.

"You will not change _her_ mind taking it out on _me_." Sarah stated calmly. The Fae man was either to caught up to listen of was ignoring her.

"Jareth, beware." Sarah warned, "If she finds out, she will never return your love, never indulge you, never _forgive_ you, and neither will I."

Jareth looked up suddenly, almost like a confused frightened child.

" _Sarah..?"_ His face seemed to crumple with despair.

A sudden rush of air surrounded her, and for a blinding moment she was free falling. With a thump she landed at the gate outside the mill.

"I'm so sorry Sarah." The wind called, but when Sarah turned around she was alone.

!%!%!%!%!%!%

 _A/N: Let's through a disclaimer in here: This is not mine. They are not mine._

 _Please note: I didn't mean for this to get so dark, sorry. I think. I did try to keep it humorous but there's nothing really funny about sexual abuse so..._

 _I was going to write part of this story from Jareth's point of view but you have to get into the character and he's just too... Blah *Gestures hands wildly to prove a point*_

 _Yes, the girl Sarah thinks is the fairy Princess to who Jareth is smitten is actually her, he's just going around talking in Fae riddles, trying be mysterious._

 _Drunk Jareth is great. He should appear in fanfics WAYYY more, in my opinion. To fill in his drunken blank month, basically he threw a temper tantrum after Sarah said that she would never want to marry a boy like Phillip and then she compared him to Phillip. So after trashing every square inch of the castle he probably went round, drinking whiskey. watching Sarah, moping and fantasising about his future wife._

 _Why did he run off when Sarah was talking about his wife (Her)? I think he realised just how close he was to raping her, probably realised how she would never forgive him and he would be trapped with a lifeless, puppet bride for all time._

 _My guess, he was probably trying to turn her on just so he could leave her in the lurch being satisfied with that fact that Sarah physically wanted him, but also having the twisted part of him having her pine over him. Does that make sense?_

 _Dear God I'm so tired, I haven't even proof read. Send in mistakes if you find them._

 _If you get bored watch Repo! The genetic Opera: An innocent, but whiny young girl explores the fantasy/gothic world around her. Also includes rubbish parenting, the lack of a real mother figure, weird music and a man nearly double the age of the female lead, following her around, with his voice of liquid sex, occasionally helping and occasionally causing even more trouble for the girl, but always, ALWAYS, making innuendoes._

 _Goodnight Night Vale._


	5. Sweet Dreams are Made of This

_Disclaimer: Labyrinth and all it's characters is property of Jim Henson co. I believe._

 _Sleeping Beauty and all it's character's are property of Disney, and Disney probably owns everything else I could think of too._

 _Just as a heads up, and I are having a bit of a spat at the moment but good karma to all those who private messaged me about the kinks I had to work out._

Robert was having a strange sense of Deja Vu. He was in an exceedingly strange place. It was all so blindingly white, and pure, and clean. He was certain that he was sitting on something, he just couldn't tell what. I'm probably asleep, thought Robert. That's why this is all so familiar, his mind said, you've probably had this dream before.

"Ridiculous! You can't have the same dream twice!" He countered back at his mind.

"I wouldn't be to sure about that, _your Majesty._ " A voice droned from behind in a bored fashion. Robert turned around and realised quite calmly that it was the Goblin King and he should have been scared out of his wits, yet, he wasn't.

"Aren't you dead?" He asked politely, as it would never do to upset the King of the Goblins. He was rolling two crystals along the length of his arms, making them dance back and forth in a twisting Kaleidoscope of colours. His face was plastered with a terrifying grin. Robert wasn't very terrified though, just... At peace.

"That's what I've been telling you Robert. Every night, for the past ten years."

"And I believe you?"

Robert, as usual, was somewhat confused.

"I _am_ your future Son-in-Law," The Goblin King stated matter of factly, "Why shouldn't you believe me?"

"Oh." Said Robert simply, "I thought Phillip was my future Son-in-Law."

King Jareth raised a sharp eyebrow, still continuously dipping the crystal orbs back and forth, "You also **thought** that it would be a good idea to tell me that your infant daughter had died so that I wouldn't press her into marriage. You _ALSO_ ** _thought_** that you had the right to send her away to live in a forest with _a dwarf with trust issues, a delusional one-eyed fox_ and _a monster whom children fear._ " The Goblin King spat venomously. "You think a great deal to many tiresome things old man."

King Robert took all this in calmly. "I see. I do seem to think a fair bit, don't I? Right now for example, I'm thinking: is there a reason for why I'm here, in a big old white place, instead of in my bed? Is there a reason, your Highness?"

"Why yes there is!" The Goblin King smiled as if congratulating a small child. A single translucent sphere was offered and Robert obediently stared into it. Inside the sphere, tucked between slender green trees, the Goblin King danced nimbly back and forth with a girl who looked remarkably like Robert's last wife, Linda.

"She looks remarkably like my last wife, Linda." Stated Robert.

The Goblin King watched himself and the girl with a heavy desire, all the while his grotesque grin in place.

"Yes, she does a bit, doesn't she?"

"She does a lot." Confirmed Robert "Why are you showing me a girl who looks remarkably like my last wife Linda?"

King Jareth leant in like he was about to share a secret. "Well Robert, that girl is my future wife," Robert nodded, What they made a fine couple. That must be why the King was smiling so much. Fine couples like this one should happen more often, he thought to himself, "And I am aware that you are holding a ball for when your daughter returns and that my bride will be there. Before the stroke of midnight, I am going to take her aside, and ask her to become my Queen."

"That's good for you."

"It is. It is! But I fear that when I go to her there will be those who wish to stop us."

Robert was vaguely aware that he might have been sad. Or angry. He wasn't sure. The poor girl, Why would anyone not want this fine couple to be together?

"Why?"

"My beloved is mortal," The Goblin King said, almost wistfully, "and there are forces who would want to prevent our happiness."

Robert watched the girl in the crystal. She looked so happy and carefree. She should stay happy and carefree, Robert decided. If the Ruler of the Goblins made her happy then so be it.

"Goblin King," Robert said solemnly, gripping the man's hand, "I vow that I, nor any from my court, will not come between you and your future Queen on the evening of my daughter's ball." A cool flow seemed to wash over Robert, relaxing that ever tense knot between his shoulders, creases from his forehead disappeared and a tranquil glaze settled over his eyes.

"My _upmost_ thanks to you and yours **King** Robert, but you would bear no, _grudge_ against me if I took _precautions_ , would you?"

"Not at all my good sir, not at all." Robert grinned, the immense feeling of giddiness still in place.

A canine smile flickered over the King's lips as he tossed the other luminescent crystal.

"Catch."

Eagerly Robert reached forward to grab it. The oddly oily surface burst against his finger at the briefest touch.

"Oh!"

A queasiness pulled at his stomach and a heavy throb pressed over poor, old Robert's mind.

"What-What have you done?" He gagged painfully.

King Jareth looked thoughtful for an instant.

"Why nothing at all my good man. I merely, _rearranged,_ your memory a touch, so that my beloved and I may have our peace. Don't be _concerned_ Robert, your minor discomfort will pass."

Slowly Robert uprighted himself from his retching.

"You- You're RIGHT! I feel better already. In fact, I've never felt better!"

The King of the Goblins smiled smoothly.

"Excellent. And now, I take my leave." He said with a bow and turning to go.

"Wait!"

Some had been bugging Robert this whole time and he hand't been sure what. The King of the Goblins made an impatient noise at the back of his throat and finally that spark of fear appeared in Robert, he had to think of something quick or else he could be punished. He wasn't sure how he could be punished in his own dream world but, still.

"When I said, in the beginning of my dream, that you can't have the same dream more than twice, you disagreed with me. Why?"

A look that Robert couldn't make out crossed The high King's face.

"I disagreed with you because I _have_ had the same dream night after night, and it's been haunting me now for over fifteen years."

And with that, the whiteness consumed him and everything was gone. Into the abyss.

% % % %% % %% % % %% % % %% %% % %

Hoggle had a bad premonition about today and he was quite certain that he wasn't gassy this time. He watched Sarah gently bouncing the little Toby in her lap, from his spot on the window ledge, the open window allowing air to waft in delicious earthy smells into the meagre dwelling from the window box. She had grown up from being a tiny, pink, squidgy baby to a real kind and caring young lady and Hoggle felt pride swell up in his chest like a ballon, or, maybe he was just gassy. It was hard to tell now he was getting on in his years.

Her large eyes widen even further until he was quite surprised they didn't pop out of her head.

As Sarah stared into the box and Hoggle found a strange contentment in seeing that she was as dumbfounded as he had been.

"Well..." She began, with what appeared to a rather forced smile (Maybe _she_ was gassy, thought Hoggle).

"Sar-wah, like?" Ventured Ludo, his beaming face hopeful.

"It is _very... Um..._ Pink?"

She looked at Hoggle for conformation, just like she used to when she had been only a little lady, wondering if she had said the right thing to a tree sprite. Hoggle nodded back enthusiastically.

"Exceedingly pink," She continued almost over passionately, "Why, Hoggle, Didymus, Ludo, Thank-you so very much. Never... in all my life... have I seen such a vibrant colour, or a more... Flattering... Design. I couldn't wear something like this to go galavanting about in the forest." Ludo and Didymus were congratulating themselves joyously. Sarah really had wasted a life on the stage by being stuck in a forest, and a Princess, but she couldn't control that. To put the icing on the cake (Something Hoggle had actually forgotten to do) Sarah played the cute card, bopping her little brother on the nose with the tip of her finger causing bouts of laughter to spout from the babe.

"No we _couldn't_ , could we Toby!? We'd _nwever ewver ewver_ ruin something as, beautiful, as that dress. It's fit for a Princess!"

Princess.

The word hung heavily in the air like the smell of off fish. Expectant glances were thrown by Didymus and Ludo at Hoggle like spears. Except spears would hurt less, part of him grumbled. You can't keep putting this off! The another part of Hoggle said. They'll be here in three days to collect her. And then you'll never see her again, whispered the last part of Hoggle. Shut up! snapped the other two.

So with a grave face, Hoggle hopped off his ledge and dragged his feet over to Sarah. He was barely up to her shoulder now, he realised, and this was when she was sitting! Hoggle petted her knee awkwardly.

"Now Sarah," Hoggle's voice sounded even more grumbly to him than usual. He must have been coming down with something. "Erm, we's been a-thinking, me an' Didymus an' Ludo, that coz yous be gettin' so big now, yous should learn somethin' 'bout yer family."

Sarah looked pleasantly surprised.

"M-my family?" A dreamy look of wonder passed over her face. Part of Hoggle felt resentment, weren't they her family? It passed though when he saw her expectant face.

"Erm yeah, well, yous be a-knowin' the story o' the Princess o' the Underground."

Sarah smiled sweetly.

"Of course!" She said, and she began to recite "In the Underground, over fifteen years ago, lived a kindly King and his beautiful Queen."

Sarah's lilting voice washed over the small mill.

"Many years they longed for a child, and finally their wish was granted, yet it came at a cost. To have the child, the King and his Queen had to ask assistance of the wild King of the castle beyond the Goblin City and were much in debt to him. But eventually, a daughter was born, and they named the girl Sarah, because Sarah means Princess and that was what she was. Then a great holiday was proclaimed throughout the kingdom, so that all the high or low could pay homage to the infant Princess, but in their excitement, the King and Queen had forgotten to invite the King of the Goblins. When he found out about the celebrations, the Goblin King fell into a wild rage."

I'll say, thought Hoggle, as Sarah continued on.

"And so, at her birthing ceremony, after three fairies gifted her with beauty, a voice and the power to never give up hope,"

That hadn't been as bad a gift as Hoggle had first thought, although the fairy could have been honest and said, 'as stubborn as a mule' instead.

"Three citizens of the Goblin King's labyrinth followed. Some believe that they were spies who allowed the Goblin King into the castle but no-one knows for certain. All they know is that at that instant the changeling King arrived to whisk the child away, but what no-one expected was for the King to fall in love with the girl. And so he placed a curse on her that she would love him back, fear him and be his slave by the time she was sixteen or else take a bite from a cursed peach and be thrown into a death-like state."

Sarah's voice dropped low and menacingly to finish the story.

"The dark magic placed upon the child was to much for her to handle and the poor baby became feverish and sickly. Before the year had passed the Princess Sarah had died. Before the decade passed the Queen subsumed to madness and joined her daughter. As for the Goblin King," Sarah whispered softly.

"No one has heard from him since, some suspect he died from a broken heart, but, if on a dark and stormy night, one says their right words, rumour has it, that the Goblins will come and whisk the child away."

Toby whimpered from Sarah's arms and Sarah giggled.

"But don't worry Toby, I would never do that to you."

Hoggle knew that now was the time to tell here while she was happy.

"An', erm what do you know 'bout yerself Sarah?"

The girl gnawed on her lip, still bouncy the once again babbly baby.

"Sixteen years ago, I was found in the forest by the three of you, and you'd just run away from your home, and the King was kind enough to let you stay here so when you found me you thought it was a blessing and you named me Sarah after the Princess, to honour the King."

Didymus nervously pulled at his tail, "Is that all milady?"

Sarah squinted slightly, concentrating, "Last year, the rocks told Ludo there was another baby in the forest who had no one to care for him and that was how we got Toby."

The babe gurgled at his name.

Alright, time to break it to her, gently so that she wouldn't be too upset but not so it didn't sound like they hand't grown to care about her and her brother. Hoggle's tongue was suddenly to big and stiff for his mouth. He felt like a puppet, being controlled by some unknown force.

"Now Sarah... you sees, the thing bein' 'bout yer parents, the thing that we weres goin' ta tell yer, erm, well, you sees, not that we be a lyin' to yer..."

"For heavens sake my brother! Are you a dwarf or a donkey!" Exclaimed Sir Didymus, "Refrain from this cowardly, stubbornness and tell Lady Sarah that she is the Princess at once."

Silence. Painful. Awkward. Silence.

More painful and awkward than a mistimed bout of gas, and Hoggle knew **all** about that.

It was times like these when Hoggle reconsidered his truly amazing idea that he had had in the throne rooms all those years ago. The muzzle would have indeed been an excellent investment.

Didymus snapped his snout shut so quickly anyone would have sworn that some grabbed a hand over his mouth. If anyone had been watching him. They were all looking at Sarah for her reaction. The girl was shifting slightly in her seat trying to gauge their reactions while, smiling stiffly, Toby clutched to her knee.

"Oh, um, haha you guys. That was very funny. Thank-you, you've always noticed my playing pretend and acting like a Princess. I guess you got me."

Ludo's face crumpled, in a confused manner.

"Sar-Wah not want to be... Pwin-cess?"

Sarah seemed to realise that she may have been hurting some feelings and put Toby down on the floor, rushing across to Ludo and knotting her hands in his thick fur.

"No, no Ludo. I love pretending to be a Princess but... It's just..."  
"Milady, this is no jest. We assure you, you are the real Princess." Didymus said almost apologetically.

A twist of emotions rushed across her face. Fear, disbelief, anger, disbelief again, shock, a confused angry sadness and finally settling back into disbelief.

"Tha-That's not the way things are! I CAN'T be a _Princess!_ She died! I don't even feel like a Princess. You **lied** to _me_! Ooh, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair!" Sarah's voice rang out with betrayal. Toby started to bawl from under the table.

Oh Toby! I'm sorry, you're the only person I'm not upset with." Said Sarah as she crawled under the table as to join her brother, who stopped his wailing when his sister joined him. Hoggle felt disgruntled at this. It wasn't his fault her father sent her away! It wasn't his fault the fox couldn't keep his mouth shut! Hoggle hadn't ever done anything.

"P-perhaps Milady will feel more like a Princess if she puts the royal gown on." Didymus piped in a rather ashamed voice, peeking his nose under the checkered table cloth.

"I suppose." Came the grumpy response.

Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus waited a few minutes but nothing happened.

"And perhaps," continued the fox in a more vigilant tone, "A Princess would not sulk under a table."

"I am _not_ sulking." The voice sulked.

"Sar-Wah Sulking." Confirmed Ludo firmly. That rock monster sure did have a way about him when he wanted to.

Sarah stuck her head out from under the table, wiping away angry tears but gave them a watery grin when she saw their expressions. She was trying to put on a brave face from them, Hoggle realised as his heart ached dully in his chest.

"Ok, maybe I am sulking... Just a little, but I'm suddenly a Princess and that's a lot to take in."  
"We're sorry Sarah." The three chorused in unison, Hoggle suddenly realised that they had been living way to long together. He had to move back to his hut. Oh wait, the King had said what would happen if he returned. Hoggle shuddered at that thought as Sarah began to speak again.

"That's all right I guess. You did what you thought was best and I just didn't take it too well. I'll go put the dress on."

Sarah bundled up the mountains of fabric in her arms and strode out of the room, turning just before she reached the door.

"But the next time any of you upset me," She warned in a mocking voice that reminded Hoggle frightfully of someone else, "I'll toss you all into my dungeon." She laughed disbelievingly.

"Me? A Princess." He thought he caught through the closed door.

It was a shame the Goblin King was gone, contemplated Hoggle. They would have been well matched.

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

Sarah looked at the mirror and a pair red-rimmed eyes stared back balefully.

"Oh stop it!" She snapped at her reflection, but when she looked down, she saw what the reflection was so mournful about. She felt like Ludo had just thrown a rock at her and her stomach caught the impact.

It was the pink... Thing. It wasn't that Sarah didn't know very well that they had _tried_ so hard but...

It wasn't just the colour that was making her so miserable. Not really anyway. Didymus had called it a dress but tent would have been more accurate.

The skirt of the dress, or she guessed it was the skirt, started just under her bust on one side but well below her hip on the other, leaving the heavy material to drag around on the floor behind her, small toes peeping out from the front.

Was the skirt puffy? Did it lie flat?

Sarah believed that the answer to both those questions as she examined the waterfall of fuchsia in the mirror, was sadly a yes.

Pleats. Everywhere. Around a solid twenty altogether, thrown in with an abandon. There might have been sleeves. Sarah had only found two holes at what she had guessed was the top, and had stuck her unbrushed head of hair through the larger one and one of her arms through the smaller one.

To tie it all together, a large bow drooped from the back of the dress like a damaged pair of wings.

"All hail Princess Sarah of the Underground." Sarah muttered glumly.

It was just the dress. It was the responsibility. Anxiety clawed at her. Sarah had spent her entire life, running around a forest, with flowers in her hair and not a care in the world. Now Sarah had to look after an entire Kingdom, and she wouldn't even have a mother there to guild her because,

'Oh yeah, by the way, you sent her insane and she killed herself.' Sarah's mind remarked snidely. Tears built up in her throat. The airless feeling, As if she had beed thrown against a stone wall continued to spread.

Around and around these miserable thoughts chased until Sarah would hardly take it any longer. Her mill home that had always seemed so cosy and welcoming had become a confined and claustrophobic. The walls were to close. She couldn't breath, she realised as she yanked at her hair.

She had to get out, had to escape. To the forest. To freedom. To fresh air.

Holding her head high and proudly, Sarah walked through the main room and out to the front door.

"I need time to think." Sarah said brusquely.

"By myself that is." She added when she saw Hoggle going to follow her.

After that she took off. She wasn't sure where to but she needed to go. Far away. Somewhere were there was cool grass beneath her and a never ending sky above her. Sarah arrived out of breath and with her new dress full of holes in the clearing she had first met Jareth all those months ago. It seemed like an eternity. Now she would never be able to see him again, Sarah discovered with a confused shock. Except at the occasional dusty court meeting held in grand throne rooms where they would have to call each other 'My Lord' and 'My Lady.'

Sarah hadn't realised she had been about to cry until she felt burning tears slip her lashes. She **had** to see Jareth again. She wasn't sure how long she had left in her forest home and it would be wrong to leave without saying goodbye. Completely neglecting the last time they had met, Sarah scrubbed her face with the front of her dress and put what she hoped to be a determined expression on.

"Jareth," Sarah called in a timid tone, "Jareth I need you."

She nearly jumped out of her dress when an arm slender arm wrapped around her waist moments later.

"I'm glad to see you've come to your senses."

The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as the Fae man's warm breath caressed it.

"No." Sarah pushed away from him firmly. "I've come to say goodbye." Her voice broke, "So here I go. It was nice meeting you Jareth, we've had some good times, I'm going to miss you. Goodbye." She was crying again now, the tears coming faster and faster. Slender fingers tried to brush away the tears with comforting noises.

"Good-bye?" He asked astounded. Sarah gulped on her tears and raised her tear sheered eyes to the sky. It was too blue, too beautiful. Why couldn't it have been raining? Why couldn't everything be miserable like her?

"Good-bye?" Jareth repeated angrily. "Sarah, I have done everything you could have ever wanted, and this is how you repay me? Ho-"

"No, please." Sarah felt as if everything was going to burst, as she gripped onto the ruffled front of his shirt. Always wearing a new outfit she sniffed to herself and a sudden white hot rage took over her.

Everything was handed to this man on a silver platter! Stupid Jareth, in his stupid clothes. He would never understand this situation. What with having an army of servants to fix his hair alone, how could he possibly understand this problem. No doubt if he had a bad day because of some peasant or something, he would still go home to a loving wife who organised his clothes for him.

She must have looked like a wreck, in her pink nightmare, with puffy eyes and scraggily hair. A complete and total wreck or, maybe one of those junk ladies Jareth mentioned one time.

"I'm not telling you that you have to go." Sarah chocked back yet another overwhelming sob. "I'm telling you that I have to go."

His suspicious gaze bore into her and Sarah felt completed to tell everything, and so she did. About being a Princess, about the curse, her mother, her carers lying to her, even the awful dress, and he sat and listened and took her in his arms and comforted her and by the end Sarah felt so drained that the girl just sat there, the Fae's arms entwined around her, listening to the forest life continue around them.

"The worst thing about all of this though," Hiccoughed Sarah, hair falling over her eyes "is that I was supposed to be mad you for being so stupid when you were drunk."

Cautiously a gloved hand brushed the vagrant hair from her eyes.

"Ah, but it is your _birthday_ sweet Sarah. No one could _possibly_ be mad on their birthday." He mockingly sighed, eyes hungrily tracing her lips before locking on to hers. Sarah felt a jolt in her chest, or maybe a quiver. Was is suddenly quieter all of a sudden?

"Sixteen years too!"

When had his arms gotten so tight? When had his face gotten so close? He had such lovely eyes, but they were always so dark. So full of desire. Was it something all fae had? Sarah wondered, head tilted curiously, eyes large with awe and innocence.

"When a lady of the court _turns_ sixteen, she is considered a _woman_." Jareth uttered so softly that Sarah had to lean in to hear him. Sarah felt as though she were floating as he slowly slipped one hand to cradle the back of her head.

"Oh?" Sarah's lips parted ever so slightly. The dappled light shone on gently on her face. Jareth slowly closed the gap like a hunter on a deer. Sarah watched the curve of his lips. So haughty. So close.

"Indeed, a _beautiful, alluring_...  Woman." Jareth murmured. He was so close, so close all had had to do was lean forward the slightest bit, guild her with his hands and then...

"What happens when she becomes a woman." Implored Sarah. Surely it would be a ball, with graceful dancing and tinkling music and laughter filling the air, So many, many beautiful things. Her eyes fluttered shut, trying to picture them all.

"It is tradition, or so _I have heard_ , to give the fair maiden, a _Kiss_."

The woodland creatures held their breaths in anticipation. Others placed bets, but they all watched as the Fae eased the girl gently against him, crushing the bow on her back with one hand and the other faltering in the over her face, watching her closely with a lustful awe. Gloved finger tips brushed softly against her cheek, head tilted, in for the kill and then,

"I'm not really sixteen." Sarah whispered as if in a trance.

If a forest could have made a collective noise it would have been a groan. The forest creatures went back to their daily lives with nineteen very angry nymphs handing kisses over to a faun named Carlos for winning the betting round.

Jareth made an almost pining sound.

" _What?_ "

"The Princess Sarah," she murmured, eyes still glazed over, trying desperately to remember. "That's me now. She was born on the summer solstice and that's nearly two weeks away."

"So it is," Jareth replied dully as he dropped his hands.

Sarah snapped back into the present, She had been so rude before she'd left home. Poor Ludo! Poor Didymus! Poor Hoggle! She had been so awful to them! A responsible Princess would never do something like that she realised with a pang of guilt, as she slid off the fae's tight-clad lap.

Making her excuses she bid the Fae a sweet farewell as she dashed back home. She couldn't be late for her own birthday dinner.

It slowly grew darker in the forest but Jareth remained slouched against the tree as if he were made from stone, only moving to snap moodily if anything got so much as six feet near him.

Her trust! He had had that for months. Her love? Well, if his precious didn't love him by now, then she would in two weeks time. Her? She had lain in his arms! Where he could have made wanton use of her then and there, had he not been so generous.

The Goblin King snarled at a rabbit that got to curious.

Why was he always _so_ close?

His ears pricked as he heard a shuffling, grumbling that had been absent from the labyrinth for over fifteen years. Maybe it was time to pay an old 'friend' a visit.

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Hoggle watched as Sarah cooed of the baby Prince who had managed to smear cake over everything within his reach, even himself.

"Who's a grubby little goblin?"

She laughed brightly as Toby smeared a sticky hand on her forehead.

After Sarah had run out, Hoggle had been worried that she may never have come back. After all, he didn't know what these high spirited female types were like after all, he was just a simple dwarf. A simple dwarf with a bad case of gas. Which the cake had given him. Hoggle announced that he was going to gather some herbs to the for his gas, because he was quite certain that he had seen the right plant growing by a boulder only the day before.

He left as Sarah washing the mucky boy in a tub by the fire as she and Ludo contentedly listened to Sir Didymus' grand tale of his old stead, Merlin, or was it Ambrosius, Hoggle could never exactly remember. They were probably both old magic codgers with a beard he thought matter of factly.

Just after dinner, Hoggle had drawn Sarah aside and given her his own private gift.

"It's a piece of chalk." Sarah had said when she had seen the lump he had offered her.

"Cor, it be more than that little missy. It's a _MAGIC_ piece of chalk."

Hoggle demonstrated, pulling out a small mirror.

"You sees, yer takes a mirror, like so, And down the middle yous draw a swiggly line. An' on one half o' the mirror yer draw the moon and on the other the sun. An' then yous be joing in the two with a circle and yous be tappin the mirror three times."

Hoggle tapped the mirror smartly and watched with a smug satisfaction as surprise flitted across Sarah's face.

"Them what?" She whispered excitedly.

"Thens you say somethin' like 'Toby I needs ya.'"

A small child appeared in the mirror smushing cake against himself.

"Woah." Exclaimed Sarah softly "Thank-you Hoggle! Now, I'll be able to see you all when I'm at the castle." She whispered again, almost tearfully.

"It be more than that Sarah." Hoggle responded gruffly, "Coz we be havin' this mirror, an' you'll be havin' your own in the palace, yous'll be able to talk with us an well even be able to visit yer. If you's like."

"Oh thank-you! Thank-you! Thank-you Hoggle! You don't know what this means to me."

Sarah squeezed him tightly and covered the top of his craggily head in kisses.

The old dwarfs train of thought ended when he suddenly collided with reality, or rather a boot.

The boot was attached to a leg and the leg was attached to the most terrifying thing he had ever seen.

"Higgle." The King sneered.

"Yer-yer Majesty."

To say Hoggle was in shock would be a bolder statement than the Goblin King's fashion choices. The King crouched down to the lumpy dwarf's level and Hoggle. Hoggle wondered if he was still the Underground's best long distance sprinting dwarf or if he would just fall flat on his nose.

"Higgle would you **care** to explain to me _exactly_ why _my_ ** _beloved_** _Sarah_ spent her afternoon crying in the middle of the forest wearing nothing but a _pink bed sheet."_ The King's cultured voice articulated.

"Oh, erm, well yous be seeing your majesty... that were bein' because, well it looked like a bed sheet but in actual fact-"

"Hoggle." The King interrupted sharply, "Is that... _lipstick?_ All. Over. Your. Forehead."

King Jareth's nostrils flared angrily, like a bloodhound smelling... Well, blood. Since when had his little lady started using make-up? A fairy had gifted her with beauty at birth, she didn't need pointless things like that to enhance herself, or get him in trouble with Goblin Kings. He would be confiscating it the moment he got home. If he got home that was...

"I's, erm, It... It _could_ be your highness, but I um...Cor, well. It could also be a rash."  
"A _rash?"_

"Whater' you be askin' bout the little lady yer Majesty?" Hoggle rushed quickly

The King gritted his canine teeth together.

"Ah yes, _Sarah_."

The dwarf shuddered at the way the rat made her name sound.

"You wouldn't be havin' any bad intentions toward the her would ya, yer Majesty?" he ventured.

"My intentions for the girl," The King said smoothly, "are my own."

With a well practised flick, the Goblin King drew a crystal from the air and spun it back and forth neatly, before tossing it high into the shimmering night sky. The ball seemed to absorb the night sky and it drifted back down to the king in the form of a gauzy dress, spun from the very moonlight.

"Give her this. My _future_ Queen should not be seen in public in something as _hideous_ as _you_."

Hoggle took the dress gingerly in his hands. Had the Goblin King just said he was as ugly as the Fuchsia menace?

He looked up to argue but the King had already slipped away into the darkness, just like Hoggle's gas, it seemed.

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 _A/N: Hey, hey, hey. Look at me churning out chapters faster... than... Donald Trump churns out... annoying remarks about everyone that's not him. Or at least I was until the little 'incident.'_

 _But like, If you value your sanity, which I don't know you, you might not. Never look up that creepy photo of Donald Trump and his daughter from the 90's._

 _There is some definite weird Lolita Sh-t going on there._

 _Do on the other hand look up vintage dresses and note the 3 to your left and 1 down. A pale, blue opera dress, with plunging V-neckline and pearls. That is what the dress Jareth has made Sarah looks like in my mind. Kind of._

 _By the way, what is going on with you calling Phillip a donkey. I mean he is but so is Jareth. Jareth is way worse in fact! Do you notice how possessive he his when he talks to or about Sarah?_

 _If you want a similar example examine Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights or the Duke of Ferrara in_ Robert Browning's _poem 'My Last Duchess.'_

 _Sure I'm positioning you all so that you'll like Jareth but J.K. Rowling did the same thing with Snape and when it comes down to it, Snape was a git who felt that because a girl was friendly to him he had the right to place a claim on her. A 30 year long claim. Creep._

 _No dude._

 _Not cool._

 _Anyway, like Bon Jovi said, we're halfway there, so hold on back there folks. Actually I could be lying. I don't know. I'm kind of tired again. Went back over chapter 1 and realised just how many typo's there were so when this is all over, I'll fix it._


	6. The plot thickens like a well made stew

_A/N: Hello, what is of the up? Sorry for the slow writing time. I swear my fingers are made of lead._

 _Just to give y'all a warning. There is_ ** _NO_** _REAL_ _Jareth moments in this chapter. At least I don't think so. I'm a good solid three pages in to writing and right now, of this very second... There is no Jareth. He's probably in the castle beyond the goblin city like, iono, making a wedding dress for Sarah or something. Maybe he's having a poker night with his buddies, and being a normal, NOT smitten Fae, for once. I know we're all here for the J/S but character development is needed._

 _Anywho, I found out that way back when Labyrinth was just a little idea, that it was going to be set in the Victorian Era. I mean, can you imagine just how beautiful that would have been? Young Jen Con would have looked hella sexy in a hoop skirt. and corset I feel cheated to say the least._

 _So yeah. I don't own any of this. The only thing I own is a couch and if Lucas. Co want to take it from me, then I guess I'm going to have to sleep on the floor._

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The Lady Irene sipped her tea through lips more pursed than a cat's bottom. She was a good looking woman, regal in the haughty kind of way and perhaps getting close to the wrong side of thirty. Coils of strawberry blonde hair piled on top of her head, as was the court fashion along with her her long, silk robes that prickled with sweat along the back of her neck which were uncomfortably warm in the small stuffy room, which was draped with more throws and rugs and whatnot than most likely all of Persia combined. Yet despite stifling air still the Lady Irene had remained proper and refrained from any unfeminine behaviour.

Unlike SOME people in the room she could name.

The royal woman sat resplendently in one of the many cushy pallors where one greats gets the castles guests, she glared at the wild thing she now had to call her daughter, who had flung her shoes off the moment she had entered, curling her toes into the fluffy carpet with a content sigh.

"Tea, dear?" Irene asked pointedly to the girl, who had NOW made herself at home by lounging on the carpet as gracefully as a cat.

"I'm sorry. What was that Madame Karen?" The uncultured child asked drowsily, toes peeking out from beneath a stunning dress seemingly spun from the night sky. No doubt it would be impossible to iron the creases out.

"It's just, it's so warm in here. I can barely keep my eyes open." The vagabond yawned showing two perfect rows of perfect teeth.

If possible, Irene's lips stretched tighter. The cool featured woman was perhaps a little over heated too, she thought as a thin line of sweat trickled down her neck, although how the child managed to forget everything about how court was done, but still remembered always call her new step-mother that idiotic name was an astounding feat and it rattled the poor woman to no end.

 _Karen,_ Irene seethed silently, is what one would a woman whose occupation was that of a barmaid or a, hussy, or something else distasteful. _Irene_ on the other hand was a name befitting of someone her station. Someone who, out of the kindness of her heart, had offered to teach the wildling the ways of the court. The Lady Irene smothered a groan. She could just imagine having to teach the girl the delicate ways of the women's _toilette._ One whole week of this before she was to be present before the judgmental eyes of the court. She could practically already feel the headaches to come with teaching this girl. The muggy, warmth of the room was only making the feeling worse.

"I _said,_ Would. _You."_

Irene figured that perhaps growing up in the woods with a dwarf, a fox and a monster all her life may have made the girl simple over time and so used slow, short words and hand movements to get the point across.

"Like. Some. Tea?"

The girl arched her back sleepily,

"I'll have some cold milk, if you've got any."

Irene grimaced, but then tried to cover it with an encouraging grin. The girl needed help. This much was clear and although the thought of milk spilling on the floor was enough to make her cringe perhaps now would be a good time for lesson one. Etiquette.

"Perhaps not on the CAR-PET though, _hmm_? I don't know how it was back where you used to live, but here," Irene gestured vaguely at the room around them, "in the _ROY-AL PAL-ACE_ it is VERY rude to dine on the _floor."_ To emphasise her point Irene pointed at the floor.

The young girls laughter filled the room merrily and Irene found it almost disconcerting. Girls should not laugh unless in the presence of there husband, although she did have such a bright laugh. It almost seemed a shame to make her stop.

"Oh no, My Lady, don't be so silly! Oh, oh god please," The child wheezed breathlessly, "Please, I'm new to this whole corset thing, don't make me laugh again. Drinking milk on the carpet? No, I'm just here because this carpet reminded me..."

With the blink of an eye the good mood was gone and her pretty, green eyes pooled with tears.

"This carpet reminded me of my friend, Ludo." She finished mournfully, fingers fiddling wistfully with the hem of her dress.

Irene refrained from clucking sympathetically as the girls statement tucked at her heart strings. As she liberally poured milk into a fine chine teacup Irene recollected back to when she had been the girl's age. She, herself knew what it was like to be pulled away from her family at a young. Irene set the cup of milk down across from her, but she had also knew what her duty was, she thought determinedly. Something she was going to have to teach the new Princess.

"Come dear, sit up. We must discuss some things."

Irene strained not to shudder disgustedly at the manners carelessly broken as the child sniffed softly and wiped her nose on the back of her hand. Instead she opted for a gracious smile as she sank back into the plush chair.

"Go on child, sit, sit!"

The girl cautiously sank a good three inches into the futon opposite the imposing woman, here sadness evaporating whilst her wondering eyes trailed across the room. Visitors would frequently describe it as 'cozy' but the truth was it was the closet thing the palace had to a steam room but still the truth was Irene was glad to see the child was impressed, after all, it had been Irene herself who had decorated it. Or rather had servants decorate it for her.

It was basically the same thing.

"Now sit up! Don't slouch. Let me take a look at you!"

The Lady Irene fired off comments faster than the most skilled archer fires a fleet of arrows.

"Well, the stories are right, I suppose. You are as beautiful as they say. Which is a true blessing my dear after your up bringing!"

Irene peered hawkishly at the girl, who squirmed uncomfortably under the close examination, trying to look for any faults she would have to groom over the next week.

"Imagine trying to get you a suitor if you had been plain."

The young girl's mouth fell neatly open.

"A _what?_ " She asked, seemingly faintly outraged with the idea but her reactions were still quite sluggish from the smothering heat.

The Lady Irene rubbed back the still on coming headache. This was going to be tougher than she first thought.

"A _suitor_ , dear, a suitor. Do you _have_ a suitor? You **should** have a suitor by your _age_?"

The girl had grown quite flushed from all the excitement and Irene tapped her finger agitatedly against her saucer.

That would never do! Having her blush whenever she was flustered. Men would feel led on because the child couldn't suppress her emotions. Half the court would be asking for her hand, and she knew what happened when more than one man wanted a pretty woman. Irene had heard all about that foolish Helen of Troy and the last thing they need was a repeat of _that._

An idea popped suddenly into the woman's mind.

"Leeches." She said enthusiastically.

The girls eyebrows nearly shot off her forehead.

"My suitor... Is, a _Leech_?"

Irene pressed a manicured hand to her mouth, successfully subduing the laughter.

"No, no dear, don't be silly! Your cheeks have a faint blush to them, and although it is truly charming, it simply won't do! You'll distract the men! So what we will do is, rather simply, place a leech on your neck, before you go out, to drain you of that quaint half flush and the problem will be gone!"

The child's mouth moved open and closed in shock, or maybe speechless gratitude for her ingenious plan, the King's consort could hardly tell, but still, no words came out. Although it was nice not to her answer back for once the girl looked utterly ridiculous with her loveable lips hung open like a cod fish. A woman of the court shout always be able to come back with witty and charming verbal sparring but this mouth hanging open business would not go down well at all. This was yet another little blemish that Irene would have to iron out, she thought absent mindedly. While deep in thought Irene did not realise that the girl had slunk over to the window and had begun to fumble with the latch.

The sound of metal scraping across metal jolted Lady Irene painfully from her train of thought.

"Why child!" she barked. " _What_! On Earth? Are **_you_** _doing_?"

The girl face was a mixture of condescending concern and a smidgen of guilt as she gave the window a final, heaving tug with her whole body.

"Girl! Stop this! **_At Once._** "

The window flung wide open, causing the glass the rattle horribly. The noise set Irene's teeth on edge doing nothing to help the dull throb behind her eyes. The cool breeze now drifting through the room did help a little though.

"Well, it's certainly not _my fault_ the heat was getting to **you**! I was worried. One second going on about suitors and the next about leeches. Then my _getting warm_ leading on men. You didn't even ASK me, if I wanted suitors or NOT!" The child retorted sharply flicking her hair back as if she were a show pony, causing the pinpricks of sliver on her dress to wink in the light.

"You will not speak to me in this manner young lady!" Irene spat lividly. She could feel a vein throbbing in her forehead. How _DARE_ she? How dare this child come into her home, Into her LIFE and tell her the way things were going to be. The silken curtains fluttered about the girl, who was leaning against the frame with her back to the Lady Irene.

"I'm sorry Lady Karen but I've had just about enough of this." The girl remarked crossly, her hands folded across her chest.

The Lady Irene puckered her lips. She WAS going to remain in control here.

"You, little miss, are not going to step a single **foot** out that front door _until_ we have resolved you dreadful manners."

The girl merely sniffed and turned up her nose.

"It's a good thing I wasn't planning on using the door **then!** "

Confusion laced through Lady Irene.

"I don't know what you're planning young lady," The elder warned,

"but sit down and drink your milk because I will not hear another word of it!"

The girl's lip curled as she leant forward and picked up the tea-cup.

"Oh trust me. You won't hear another peep from me."

And that was when the child did the unthinkable.

Staring at Irene with contempt the woman didn't think was possible, the young girl took the milk with both her hands and sloshed it all. Over. The Carpet.

"You! You sloven, little trollop!" Hissed Irene, the face contorted in rage.

She glared at the now sopping carpet and then back at the little beast.

"You will _apolo_ -"

But it was too late. The girl, after bracing her arms against the window ledge, had simply leapt over it, as nimbly as a cat.

Irene bolted to the window as if her life depended on it and not the young changelings. Staring up at her from the slanted roof with fierce, glittering green eyes was the wild girl, hands firmly placed on hips.

"I will see you at supper, Lady Karen. If you need me, I will be in my room."

With that she was gone, trotting off in the direction of the east wing. Without a care of how it would look on IRENE'S behalf if the **whole** ** _castle_** saw her wandering around barefoot. ON THE ROOF.

Irene slumped back in her chair, taking a long swig of her tea. She had been right. This girl WAS going to give her a hell of a headache, and it would be over until that crown was placed firmly on her head in a weeks time.

# # # # # # #

Sarah buried her head under her head as far under he pillow as possible.

"Ooh, It's not FAIR!"

If she never saw that woman again it would be too soon. If only her friends where here. Her friends, Sarah choked back a sob. She hadn't seen them in over a week but it felt like forever. After saying a tearful good-bye to Ludo and Didymus, Sarah had trudged through the forest with Toby strapped to her back and Hoggle by her side for three straight days. Normally Sarah would have enjoyed spending time with Hoggle but the forest was full of strange noises, almost like laughter, but Hoggle blamed the wind and strange, glassy, demonic eyes the seemed to pry from the shadows before she drifted off to sleep. One time she was certain she heard a high pitched giggle and a warbled voice whisper, "It's the girlie! The girlie! She'sa be comin' home soon."

When she had tried to tell Hoggle this he just brushed it off as 'the over imagination of a exhuaspirated, little lady.' He was so distant and Sarah got pretty use to catching him watching her when the little, old dwarf thought she wasn't watching.

Finally, just after getting Toby to fall asleep on the second night Sarah snapped,

"Damn it _Hoggle,_ Paint a portrait, why don't 'cha. It'll certainly last you longer."

Hoggle's morose, sunken eyes glowed by the light of the crackling fire. It was for the first time that Hoggle's age really hit her. She'd never seen him look so weary with the wrinkles in his face etched in like stone, so haunted and alone. Sarah immediately felt bad at snapping at him. How would she feel if some baby she didn't even know had been thrusted onto her for sixteen years. She shouldn't have brought her anger out on him, it was just, she was frightened. In five days she would be a Princess. She would have people to care for and letters to write, but now, she told herself sternly, you are under Hoggle's care. And you DON'T want to leave him while he's sad.

"Listen," She said guiltily, taking his calloused hand in hers and patting it reassuringly "I'm sorry I snapped at you. Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

She tilted her head to the side just like she used to when she was little. Hoggle remained silent for a long time and the sound of the strange chortling wind seemed to close in on their little camp. After a while Hoggle shifted uncomfortably on the logged he perched on a gave Sarah a long hard stare.

"Yous remember when you was only a little missy an yous ask me what love is?"

Sarah nodded solemnly.

"Did ya ever find out what love was?"  
Sarah's brow crinkled as she looked at her carer. He looked like he was about to cry.

"Oh Hoggle!" Her voice cracked as she wrapped her arms around him. "I won't forget you I promise. You and Didymus and Ludo! Even Toby! You will all always be the closet thing I have to family and I promise that I love you all."

Sarah's heart seemed to grow heavier than the biggest rock Ludo could ever call as she watched Hoggle's face crumple in the flickering light.

"A-an ifs you ever get a man if ya life,"

Hoggle's bottom lip trembled,

"What 'bout then?"

Sarah felt herself laugh painfully through her tears.

"Silly old dwarf," She hiccuped with endearment.

"No pimply Prince, no crazed King will ever come close to you guys. I promise."

Hoggle's face grew stony,

"Sarah, yous can't promise that sort o' thing when yous got a curse over ya head. That rat o' a Goblin King won't rest until he an' he alone has ya."

Sarah swallowed down her fear and looked at Hoggle with what she hoped was her best stern monarch face.

"He shall not best me Hoggle!" She boldly bluffed.

"For my will shall be as strong as his, and my kingdom surely as great!"

Thunder boomed from the great clouds that rolled over head. When had they gotten there? It had been such a mild evening! It certainly wasn't now, Sarah thought as she wearily regarded the trees whipping back and forth. She brushed it off as a summer storm. She had more important things to attend to now than worry about a spot of rain.

"Little Lady! If yous goes on refusin' his advances an' the like... Yous'll... Yous'll die! Do ya want that?"

"Hoggle," The girl said with a firmness beyond her years.

"If it means that I will die, then yes, I will turn down the King. I would rather die knowing that I have lived a short but happy life full of my friends than a long and miserable one filled with servitude to a man who does not care for me but demands me to give him my favour."

Sarah's felt her ears prick as she heard an owl screech eerily from deep within the woods but she stayed focused on Hoggle. She didn't want to leave him tomorrow distressed. Something is his eyes had shifted when she spoke and he seemed more relaxed. Giving The craggily dwarf one final squeeze, she went and laid down next to Toby. From the light of the dying fire of the embers, Sarah watched Hoggle lie down on his log and settle off to an uneasy sleep.

The storm never broke that night but it had still been rough. The wind howled, or it was filled with howls and a cool sweat caused Sarah's long hair to stick to her face until the wind whipped it away, or maybe... It was silly but Sarah could have sworn, it felt like finger tips, carefully stroking the hair back.

As she drifted deeper into her slumber, she was certain the ground shifted beneath her or... She was being rocked in someone's arms?

Stirring restlessly, she felt two steely eyes glinting in the darkness above her.

"A _long_ and **miserable** life of servitude? You, my high spirited vixen, would _rather_ **die** than spend an eternity by _my_ **side** , _hm_? Well regardless of what you think my precious, In **eleven** days, _nine_ hours and _twenty three_ minutes... You'll be  mine." The wind seemed to murmur gleefully in her ear.

"However I shan't let you get away with you're little claim or yours."

Sarah shuddered, her throat seemed dry and constricted as a pair of lips brushed lightly over her face.

"So here, my _Dearest. My Darling. My_ ** _Damned._** I've bought you a wedding gift. Premature I know, but I am such a _generous_ being."

Sarah continued to toss fitfully in her half sleep. She struggled to stay conscious, to listen to the man's words as he cradled her possessively but she was slipping and soon she would fall.

"Let me give you, just a _taste,_ of what I'll _could_ do, if you left me."

A heavy weight was thrust on Sarah's chest, the air rushed from her body. The woods filled with the horrible cackling laughter of thousands, that pressed in on her, wrapping it's way though her thoughts, twisting her gut.

"Sweet dreams, **my** _precious_ thing."

And then Sarah fell and fell and fell, the world continuing to rush by her until she couldn't tell which way was up and which way was down. What felt like hot needles drove into her skin, leaving her convulsing in agony. Soon, too soon, the wind stopped racing past her only to be replace by a think, inky blackness. She couldn't breath. She was drowning the darkness. Sarah began to panic as she felt the pressure building up in her chest. She felt as if she was going to burst. With her brain quickly running out of oxygen she sent a silent prayer and opened her eyes, hoping to see a source of light, to find a way out. There was only darkness. Something inside of Sarah let go. She couldn't do this anymore. The pain was to much.

"Help... Please." Her strangle voice called out to the blackness, " _Please_... Somebody save me. Somebody take me away from this awful place."

The darkness realised her suddenly and she felt her stomach drop as she slipped from the blackness' grasp and was falling all over again. The new world was foggy and the kind of colour one could describe as 'drudgery.' Grey and drudgery were fine. Foggy was fine. Grey and drudgery Sarah could deal with. Foggy meant she could hide. From what she didn't know.

Her whole body ached and her eyes prickled with fatigue. Leaning her head back on the floor, taking in big slow breaths, Sarah thanked what ever had saved her from the bottom of her heart. As she slowly drifted of the cradling arms came back.

"Thank-you." Sarah whimpered, over and over. "Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you."

Fingers pressed into her cracked lips, gently caressing.

"Hush now. You're safe, I'll protect you."

Sarah sagged against her saviour, with a sigh of relief, to tired to even crack her eyes open.

The man began to hum softly. It was a lilting, sad tune Sarah didn't recognise, or maybe she did. She'd heard it in a dream before perhaps, or another lifetime.

" **How** you turn, _my world,_ **You** ** _Precious, Thing._** "

Sarah was gently lulled to sleep by the words.

Unfortunately for Sarah, she didn't get much of a sleep in. Toby had decided to wake up at the crack of dawn and let the whole forest know he was cold in the only way he knew how. By screaming his face off.

After an unsatisfying breakfast Hoggle set off again with Sarah in toe, bouncing Toby on back.

After a while, Sarah noticed Hoggle getting irritated again, and seemed to be because of her constant humming. She just couldn't help it though! The tune seemed firmly lodged in her mind and Sarah probably wouldn't be able to stop humming it until she figured out how the hell it had gotten there.

"Sarah, _Please!_ You's givin' me a splittin' 'eadache."

Usually the dwarf liked her singing and homing but right now it seemed to be giving him the hebbee jeebee's.

"Sorry Hoggle." She apologised distractedly for the fifteenth time that hour, scanning about to see how close they were to the forests edge. Her throat closed over when she realised how soon she had to say good-bye.

"Um... H-hoggle. I didn't have time to say this last night, so I'll say it no-"

The dwarf's face gazed up at her like a wizened apple but it slowly became more and more bleary as tears flooded to her eyes. _Good Grief girl!_ she muttered to herself, _Stop being such as wuss and spit it out!_ But what do you say to sum up a life time of thanks? 'Listen it's been nice knowing ya, but I'm off to rule a sovereign nation now! Toodles!'

No, that wouldn't do at all! Where was the thanks for sitting up at night and chasing away the night mares? The recognition for teaching her so much? The giving of the knowledge that she was going to miss that misshapen, lumpy, but _classically_ handsome in a **dwarf sense** face?

Hoggle petted her arm gently.

"There, there. s'all right. I be understanding ya. I swears to ya on me grandpape's grave Sarah, that that rat of a King will never lay a goblin mitt on you."

Sarah gave him a watery grin, concerned about her well being to the last! That was her Hoggle. She could practically see the clogs in his mind klunking away.

Sarah groaned as she pushed her head further under her pillow.

It wasn't FAIR! IT WASN'T FAIR! **IT WASN"T FAIR!**

She huffed indignantly. She didn't want the stuffy Lady Karen and her stupid rules and ideas on what it was to be 'proper!' She wanted Sir Didymus to teach her the old ways of the court and Ludo to play with and... She wanted Hoggle to be here.

Sarah pouted grumpily. They'd even taken Toby away from her to the royal nursery. Initially deep down, Sarah had hoped he was keeping his nurses up all night screaming but then she had felt the guilt set in a long time ago. Poor Toby was a baby. He would have no idea why he'd suddenly been moved from his cozy crib to a draughty castle at least she'd had this explained to her.

She just needed someone to talk to. For a moment her mind flew to Jareth. He was a Fae. Surely he could transport anywhere? But Sarah quickly moved on from the idea. The last thing she wanted to do was make that drama king angry. Anyway wasn't like he was at her beck and call.

Sarah looked at her white knuckles clenching at her doona cover and hurriedly smoothed them out. She was missing something. What was it? What was _it_? What was **IT**?

The dawned on her as suddenly as Sir Didymus could challenge a rogue to a duel.

The Chalk!

"And you think Karen's thick." Sarah muttered as she padded across the bare stone floors to full length mirror they'd insisted on putting in her room. Or rather one of her rooms. She had four in total. A games room, because according to her step-mother "A princess should never be idle", a sitting room, if 'anyone' wanted to visit the young lady under more private pretences (Karen had raised her eyebrows suggestively at this. Sarah suggested she drop the subject), an entire room for clothes, which had started to fill since her arrival and finally a bedroom.

The mirror in question was a beautiful, if not pointless piece of furniture, with thin strands of gold twisting intricately back and forth.

It was nice, but Sarah was about to make it a whole lot better.

Carefully taking the piece of chalk, she did as Hoggle had instructed her, she stood back and proudly looked at her completed work.

Now, even if they were busy, she could see them.

"Show me my friends." She instructed the mirror.

Her reflection continued to stare back at her. Maybe, because it was a royal mirror it expected manners.

"Please, show me my friends."

Still nothing.

"Hoggle? Ludo? Sir Didymus? I need you."

Sarah watched her reflections panic stricken expression as she felt her heart thud loudly in her throat. This wasn't right! Why was she still looking at herself and not her friends?

Over the course of a half hour Sarah's heart sank as tried every phrase she could think of ranging from begging the mirror on her hands and knees, to using some particularly disgusting words Sir Didymus had both taught and forbade.

She was in the middle of threatening the mirror with a silver backed hair brush when a tap came from the door.

A servant, named Marcel, who had shown Sarah into the palace earlier today, managed to dodge the hair brush with surprising dexterity due to many extensive years of practise. After Sarah apologised profusely for the hair brush, she just wasn't expecting a shock, the valet explained that he merely came to inform the Princess that tomorrow morning the Queen requested that she take part in waltzing lessons.

Sarah groaned as she flopped against the bed. Her bones were aching already and the sun wasn't even down yet.

Marcel the servant had begun to edge nervously towards the door. He had become well attuned to when monarchs were in a bad mood and more likely to throw things.

"If Mademoiselle should need me, just say the word and we'll come."

Sarah nodded wearily. She just wanted everyone to go so she could be miserable in peace. As if the manservant could read her thoughts he lingered at the door.

"Is there something pressing which the Princess wishes to inform someone?"

Sarah ran her fingers through her hair. She wished everyone would just stop with the title game and call her Sarah. She was the Princess for crying out loud, it wasn't like they couldn't pretend not to know her name.

"Just, something not working out the way I thought it was." She grumbled into her pillow.

Marcel nodded knowledgeably,

"You know what mama used to say Princess?"

Sarah grunted a no. Couldn't he just leave?

"Mama used to say, 'Marcel, sometimes the answer is right in front of us.'"

Sarah grunted again. It was good advice, she guessed.

"And then she would say, Marcel you ass, when you going to get yourself a wife! I want to be a grandmother before I meet my creator."

Sarah managed a snort this time.

"Goodnight Marcel. Thank-you for the advice."

"Buon Notte Princess! Smile a little more eh? This castle could do with some lightening up."

Sarah beamed to herself as she replayed the moment in her mind. She was feeling lighter already and all it had taken was a tap on her-

Wait a second! A tap! She had forgotten to tap the mirror!

She was such a fool! If Hoggle and the others were watching this they no doubt were laughing their faces off!

Slipping off her bed, she shivered as her feet hit the icy floor, making a beeline straight to the mirror.

This was it now! She could do this. Hope swelled inside her. She was going to she her friends again!

Rapping her knuckles sternly on the mirror three times, she watched with fascination as the surface of the mirror rippled before returning to it's normal, silver state.

"Please, Sir Didymus, Ludo, Hoggle. I need you. All of you."

Sarah waited in baited breath. Please, please, please, please. Every star I've ver wished on. Every dandelion I've ever blown on. Just let this one come true and I'll never ask again.

"Cor, Tooks ya time Sarah."

She felt her face spilt into a smile as her friends appeared behind her in the mirror.

"Yeah, well someone could have written down the instructions for me!"

Hoggle smirked.

"Can't read." He boasted proudly.

Sarah spent over an hour filling in the three what had happened in her short time at the castle and they all listened eagerly. Slowly her eyelids began to droop as Sarah curled up under the doona. Sir Didymus and Ludo hadn't said their good nights until long after she shut her eyes and then only Hoggle remained.

"Sarah, would yous hold out your hand for me? I wanna sees somethin.'"

Obediently Sarah held out her hand and she she something small and fuzzy sit snuggly in the palm of her hand.

Cracking her eyes open she made out the outline of a peach.

"You'll know when to eat. When the time is right."

"You've got a wicked sense of humour dwarf." She murmured before she drifted peacefully off to sleep.

Hoggle pressed his hand against the mirror pane, the glass holding him back from the girl.

"Yea, or a twisted heroes complex." He muttered sadly.

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 _A/N: We all understand what just happened yeah? Does Sarah know that would be THE peach. Nope. She thinks it's Hoggle being funny. Silly Hoggle._

 _Why does Sarah seem to sleep so much in this fic? Foreshadowing._

 _I lie, in truth, I'm subliminally inflicting my own characteristics onto Sarah's character._

 _Haha, also I lied a itch at the start. There was Jareth. Sort of. HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE IN THIS CHAPTER! I checked my notes and there was 0% Fae but there you go... These things happen._

 _Why did the Goblin King get so agro this time?_

 _Welp, if you watch the movie closely you kind of notice the crazy mood swings he gets towards the end when he's trying to get Sarah to stay with him. Like one second he's bargaining and the next he's threatening. Not a fun time for Sarah me thinks._

 _Sorry for this taking forever and do you want to know why, dear readers?_

 _It's because I saw my first cadaver on campus this week. And then, I didn't remember anything until I came out of a trance like state twenty minutes later on the other side of the Uni. Apparently I need to work on a coping mechanism if I'm going to keep going in the medical ward._

 _I did actually finish writing a number of versions of this chapter a number of days ago but... It always ended with one of the characters dying. It was beautiful. You would have cried, I would have cried. We could have eaten ice-cream together to get all the bloody feelings out. Wait... Where was I going with this?_

 _I should be back on track soon. I'll just avoid the bodies._

 _For those who asked, no Carlos is not a reference to WTTNV but actually and reference to my scum ex, Karl._

 _Screw you Karl._

 _Anywho, If you're looking for a new music scene to hit up. Roxy Music, It's early/mid 70's Bowie glam vibes meets INXS' grunge sound. Love is the drug, Out of the Blue and Do the Strand are all pretty good songs for a pretty good time._


	7. Something Wicked

_A/N: Well this is it, isn't it? The big birthday Ballooza. Sarah's Shindig. The old whoopadoodee. Throwdown to the hoe down, if you catch my meaning._

 _In other news: Dress up is so much fun! I went to a costume party dressed up as the Goblin Queen (With like, a random costume change midway through the night) and was asked if I worked for a professional porn company. Pretty flattering, really. And gross now that I think about it._

 _Anyway, I don't own any of the characters, apart from Marcel *Winks at Marcel.*_

The Kingdom of Underground was overjoyed! The palace was filled with laughter and merriment that the walls had not held in over fifteen years. It's Princess had been returned, which meant a grand celebration, and in two days time she was to have a ball in her honour of her sixteenth birthday, which meant another grand celebration. The citizens of the kingdom held no doubt that it would be at this ball that the Princess would meet her handsome, future husband, which would mean an engagement and a further grand celebration. Soon they would be married (Marriages, or as they are better known, grand celebrations, usually lasted about a good week, even up to a month or so if you could manage to keep the ale flowing). If all went according to plan, by the time she was seventeen, The Princess Sarah would be with at least her first, if not second child, which would mean at least another three grand celebrations. It looked like there was a strong chance that with all these grand celebrations, everyone would be to drunk to prepare for the upcoming winter by harvesting the crops but on the positive side no-one would freeze to death either because of the blood to alcohol ratio. Now all they had to worry about was starvation and the plague, which was quite a comforting thought for them.

The only one who should have been worrying at the moment in time was a certain King of the Goblin's. The entire castle was cleaning itself in preparation for the new Queen. Over half the castle was already drunk from celebrating, the other half had passed out in small puddles of glittering goblin piss and low quality ale at least a week ago. It did not matter. The work was complete. Their rooms finished, everything and been thought of down to the last throw cushion. In two days he would place his heart in his love's hands, she would accept him, he would gather her in his arms and then...

The King's lip curled at the thought that followed. The Labyrinth was already buzzing with the news of the girl who The Goblin King planned to wed, bed and then make his Queen. Everything would go according to plan. Why should he worry?

Why should anyone worry?

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The Lady Irene was severely worried. **_Where was he_**? She thought for atleast the fifth time this minute as she tapped a heeled shoes anxiously against the ballroom floor, the sound bouncing off the high arches of the mosaqued ceiling. Lady Irene had taken the young Princess down here because she'd organised a dance partner for her to practise with. Some neighbouring Baron or Prince or something, who was eager to impress.

Irene gnawed of a highly manicured finger nail anxiously, the simpleton hadn't even bothered showing up!

It was less than forty-eight hours until the summer solstice and the situation wasn't looking any better than it had been three days ago.

The new Queen regarded the adolescent twirling about in front of her. Irene had to admit that now she had her hair pinned back, and proper attire on, she didn't look quite as child-like. She truly did look stunning. It all came down to her fine boned face, and maybe the fact that she was gifted with eternal beauty.

The Princess's bare feet (The lady Irene prevented her teeth from gritting, she didn't need anymore headaches, what with the Prince fiasco **already** this morning) seemed to float across the intricately tiled floor, pale blue dress rippling serenely in the fresh breeze. Irene had hoped that the brisk air would snap the girl out of her fanciful state but she had remained almost stubbornly persistent with her head in the clouds.

The woman shivered, pulling her robes closer to block out the cool air, she had just gotten cold instead. Irene sighed exhaustedly as she watched the soft, dreamy smile that flittered on the girl's carefree face. What she wouldn't give to go back to that age.

Irene halted the tapping of her foot. The noise was bringing on another headache.

Where was that boy? Pinching the bridge of her nose, The Lady Irene called the girl's dance to a stop. At the child's look of confusion, Irene felt the overwhelming need to explain why she sounding so disapproving. The last thing she wanted to be painted as was the wicked step-mother. Seriously, she thought, rolling her eyes, just look how that ship went down with that Cinder's girl's step-mother.

The girl stood her ground, chin tilted proudly.

"Is there an _issue_ ,"

She added a respectful "M'lady?" at the end.

"You're a good dancer, an excellent one even! it's just... The court won't approve."

The girl thrust her fists on her hips.

"Why not?" She demanded.

'You look too free!' The Lady Irene went to answer sharply, when the thought struck her. Why couldn't she be free? Wouldn't it be glorious if she could just remain a sweet faced child forever?

The child coughed, loudly.

"Why doesn't the court approve of _dancing,_ Irene?" A look of confused hurt had flashed across the child's face. Thoughts flickered at random though her head. How would she explain this one? Was everything ready for tomorrow? Would there be enough alcohol so at least if the child committed an error, everyone would be to intoxicated to remember? At least she had finally gotten the name right, a sliver of her grumbled.

"The court wouldn't approve because..."

Irene desperately searched for an answer.

"It's because you have a very... Seelie... style of dancing. None of the men here tomorrow night will have been taught in that style."

The girl tapped her chin, eyes narrowed thoughtfully,

"That's fine, I suppose. I'll just dance with the fae instead."

Irene barked a laugh but smothered it hastily when she saw the girl wasn't joking.

"Child... Did no-one... tell you?"

"Tell me _what?"_ she asked in a steely, quiet voice.

Irene suddenly felt incredibly small in the vast ballroom.

"Fae aren't welcome to these sorts of things. What with the war and man's introduction to iron. It's just... Not the away, these things are done."

The woman watched uncomfortably as her stepdaughter's went from angry to crestfallen faster than she could have said, 'improper.'

"Oh." The whole child sagged and her legs gave way to the floor until she was sprawled on the ground like a broken doll. She didn't seem to be hurt, just exceedingly vacant.

"I see." She continued in a deflated manner.

The Lady Irene felt a sharp pain pierce her head as if she was intruding on something very personal as she watched the child fiddle with the fine hem of her skirt.

"Chil- uh, Sarah," Irene thought about taking the girl's hand but didn't want to push it. Instead she gently placed her hand on the distressed girl's dress, before continuing,

"I instructed someone to come here to help you with your dancing and he hasn't shown up yet. I'm going to check with guard and see if anyone has come through the gates yet."

The girl nodded, shuttering her sweet, green, glazed over eyes.

"Okay. I'm going to sit here for a moment." The child forced out stiffly.

Once she was certain that the girl wasn't a danger to herself, Irene hurried out of the room as fast as her heels would let her, not pausing until the door swung shut behind her. Leaning her throbbing head against the grain of the door, The Lady Irene let out a groan until her eyes cleared and the hallway stopped spinning.

With a hard sigh, she realised she should go and see if the boy had arrived. She started off down the long corridor, lined with the armour of many ages until a shriek pierced.

Sarah's shriek!

"You're horrible! Why would you do that to such a sweet innocent thing!?" Her horrified voice wafted down the hallway.

Irene's heart raced as cruel laughter came in response.

Hobbling back quickly and ignoring the pain it bought her feet, Irene pressed a beady eye against the keyhole in the ballroom's door, wincing as the cold metal bit into her face. If she strained, Irene could just make out the form of someone leering over her stepdaughter.

"Forest maiden! You should be impressed! It is rare for a true man," At this remark the child thrust out his pelvis awkwardly, "to get close to a unicorn, let alone be able to slay the beast."

"You said it was Golden!" She accused angrily.

"Yeah. What of it?" Came the indignant reply

"If it's a golden unicorn, then it is still only a foal! It wouldn't have been able to detect your foul reek, you half-baked ignoramus!"

The sound of a sharp slap rang out across the ballroom, sending Irene reeling against the floor in horror.

A strange sensation of a burning anger flowed through her. Never in all her years! She mind could barely comprehend what had happened. The boy had struck the Princess! Irene was tempted to run for the guards but she didn't want the situation to get any worse while she was absent.

"You, tree..." The boy searched for an insult in his minuscule brain,

"Tree Wench," He announced a triumphant smirk smeared across his face,

"You, tree wench, will address me by my proper title. I am the Prince Phillip of Bristonia, slayer of unicorns and other terrifying creatures. I will allow you to kneel before me any grovel at my feet for your insolence. If you look good there, then I'll look into getting you a more permeant position, on your kneels, begging for my mercy."

Irene scrambled to her feet as the awkward pause settled in the air.

"That was a lewd joke." he explained at the blank look,

"Sexual reference, you could say. You may not understand this, because you grew up in a forest. So I'll use small words. I. Want. You. To. Warm. My. Bed. So I can have a little fun after I've married the old ice Princess they've kept locked up here."

Peering back through the lock, Irene saw a look fixed on the Princess' face which was exceedingly familiar. She had clenched her jaw, and was glaring at the Prince through narrowed eyes, chin set a determined angle.

" _Prince_ Phillip?" She sneered, drawing herself to her full height, a whole two inches taller than the boy (And he was wearing heeled boots).

" _Charmed_ , I'm sure. Allow me to make **my own** introductions as I do not have my valet here to do so for me."

She had begun making slow vulture like circles around the boy, bare feet completely silent against the floor. Her circling would occasionally pause to tut disapprovingly or roll her eyes.

"I am _The_ Princess Sarah. Daughter of High King Robert of Underground, who sire's from William the Vanquisher, First King of Underground, who graced _your_ great uncle with his **measly** patch of land, known as Bristonia." She spat distastefully.

"Blessed at birth with incomparable beauty, voice, and wandering heart, I was raised by the gate keeper of the Labyrinth beyond the Wild lands, A knight of old, who single handedly bought down half the goblin army and a child of the earth, who ground the other half of the army into dust."

By this time, the snivelling boys mouth hung open wide enough, so that if Irene had felt the sudden urge to sock him in the face, then all his teeth would have fallen out. Sarah however hadn't finished.

"I am the companion of high Fae lords. Since I was _three days old_ I have owned the heart of the **mighty** Goblin King and _you,_ a **mere** _boy,_ think that _I would stoop_ so low as to _warm your bed."_

The young woman threw back her head and laughed cruelly.

"Why would I? I cannot marry you for land, for my kingdom is far greater than yours, For power? Nay child, your breath is still tainted with your mother's milk. It is clear that I have the greater will power. So I am done with you."

The girl stopped her circling, and stood in front of the boy, gathering her skirt up in her hands.

"Courtesy would ask for you to kiss my hand, but there's not enough soap in the kingdom for me to even consider that. However allow me to return you a favour."

It happened so quickly that had Irene blinked, she would have missed it. Throwing her whole body into it, Sarah raked her nails across the boy's greasy skin.

Prince Phillip reeled backwards, before stumbling in his heeled boots, arms wheeling about like a windmill and landing on his face with a sickening crunch, three scratches blooming crimson along his face.

"I bid you a sweet farewell, young Prince."

She curtsied mockingly to the whimpering boy twitching on the ground, before storming to the nearest exit, which just happened to be the door the Lady Irene had crouched behind.

The woman barely had time to jump out of the way before the girl angrily stormed through the door, cursing under her breath.

"The nerve of him... Honestly should be thankful I didn't... Spanking me like some misbehaving animal... Oh the poor Unicorn."

Figuring that she should get some distance between the Prince and the Princess, The lady Irene hurriedly led the willing Sarah, through numerous winding corridors and down countless flights of stairs until they finally reached the kitchen. After setting her down at a table and pressing a cold wash clothe on her cheek, Irene felt that the girl may have stopped fuming enough to talk to her.

"My dear," Sarah looked up at the Queen with large, guilt ridden eyes.

"Are you alright?"

The girl swallowed down some water from a mug that had been set beside her before nodding. She was trying her best not to look into her step-mother's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Irene. I didn't mean to go so far, but he pushed me until I-I... This is all my fault. He was supposed to be my suitor. I was supposed to unite our Kingdoms. Oh I knew I wouldn't be up for this princess thing." The girl flinched away when Irene leaned forward and fondly patted her hand Instead of being scolded like the child clearly expected. An involuntary smile had begun to pull at the woman's lips.

"I am not saying that I would want you to perform that behaviour in front of the entire court tomorrow but that boy needed to learn that one shouldn't through chairs in a crystal ballroom and not expect to get cut."

For the first time Irene saw Sarah's real smile, and she felt as if she must have been doing something right in her life. Irene felt Sarah gave the hand clasping her's a gentle squeeze.

"Thank-you Irene. I think that one day I'll be proud to call you my mother."

"And maybe one day, I'll be just as proud to call you my daughter."

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Sarah hadn't eaten in the last 22 hours, 47 minutes and 54 seconds. Not that she was counting or anything, she reassured herself, towelling down her long, damp hair. Her stomach grumbled painfully to inform her otherwise.

"Ooh, shut up you." She growled at the offending organ. It promptly ignored her by making the sound of a mating whale.

Kare- um Irene, she internally corrected herself, and an army of maids bustled in holding mountains of rich fabric, jewels, rings, necklaces, lipstick, eyeshadow, underwires, overwires, inbetween wires, compacters, expanders, bodices, corsets, silk stockings, et cetera, et cetera. The whole cavalry. Sarah was quite sure that everything except the mothballs had been taken from the royal closet.

"Who are you talking to, little madame?"

Sarah attempted to appear nonchalant in her bathrobe with hair still dripping in her face.

"Myself."

"First sign of madness, I always say." Irene nodded conspiratorially, quickly striping her down and letting the maids have at her.

Sarah merely squeaked as a maid who had just laced up her corset gave a a firm tug, resulting in Sarah keeling to her left in an attempt to relocate her spleen, which had been lost in the tightening procedure.

"Sorry Miss." The young girl said sympathetically. Sarah waved a hand in the air as an acceptance of the apology. Her lungs were still to compressed for her to wheeze a reply yet.

"At any rate, we're running terribly behind schedule. The ball is in three hours and you're still here like this."

Sarah's stepmother gestured at the girl's reflection, who looked rather bedraggled and uncomfortable. The maids rushed around back and forth frantically in the background

"Alright, alright. I'll let you have your fun but after this, I get to eat, correct?" Karen laughed as an older woman who Sarah had never seen before in her life began to pad some intimate places.

"Oh no!" She said as Sarah slapped the prying hands away, "You must _NEVER_ eat before a ball! It will ruin your figure!"

"And if I faint from lack of food?" She asked as at least three maid brusquely pulled the green material of her dress over her head.

"You'll appear more feminine." Irene replied curtly turning to face the Princess.

"Not bad." She murmured approvingly, cupping Sarah's face in her hand and turning it so she could see the girls features in a better light.

"Not bad at all." She said again, eyeing Sarah as an artist might eye a blank canvas. Or how she'd probably eye off a piece any kind of food right about now, Sarah thought glumly to herself.

Irene had begun talking again and Sarah forced herself to pay attention, but it was quite hard with her head going light from hunger.

"What we need, is something **light** , but in _enhancing_. _Mature_ but not as if she's just come back from a stroll in the red lamp district." She added hurriedly at the end to the nodding maid, "Whimsical and with a sense of wonder but not overly so. Something that flatters the figure but not enticing enough that that old King, Henry, feels the need for a new child wife."

The maid tutted disgustedly in agreement.

"What is this now? His sixth? He's well into his 50's now." She asked disdainfully as she artfully yanked at Sarah's hair, drawing a yelp from the girl.

Irene muttered something in agreement but Sarah's eyes were watering to much from the stinging in her scalp for her to pay much attention to them. Fortunately they hadn't applied her mascara yet or else there would be dark smudges under her eyes.

The Queen continued to gossip with the maid who had begun to pin up think coils of hair. The pins scrapped painfully across Sarah's head but she knew calling out would be considered quite weak, so she kept her mouth firmly shut.

Men thought they had it tough going out to slay dragons? Little did they know the agony the fair Princesses they were rescuing went through to look her best.

Somewhere along the line, the maid had pulled out around a dozen tea coloured roses and had begun weaving them through her brown hair to create a crown. Sarah appreciated the contrast her hair made with the pale flowers for a moment before her stomach dropped with the realisation that she was wearing a crown and there was a lot riding on her success as a part of the royal family this evening.

She quickly forgot all about food and was just thankful she hadn't eaten in the past 23 hours or she would have certainly thrown up all over the floaty material of the green dress.

It was made up of layers and layers of different shade of green, which, according to man women who made the dress, 'trailed after her like the pale morning mist of an enchanted twilight forest' and if she wasn't careful, it would the twilight forest would no doubt soon be covered in in a new shade of green.

The same green as yesterdays lunch.

The maid had finished threading what had appeared at first to be small drops of dew, but on closer inspection were probably just diamonds throughout her hair and now she and The Lady Irene were umming and ahring over what to do with her face.

Knobbly, care worn fingers taking a firm grasp of Sarah's chin, the maid deftly pulled out wand of mascara and Sarah prayed that she would come out of this brutal ordeal with both eyes.

A whole hour later and Sarah could barely feel her face anymore. Despite Irene's early insistence that she had quite a lovely completion, Sarah was certain that they had rubbed enough ointments, concealers, lotions, creams, tonics, bases and foundations on to her skin to drown a horse. She was certain that she had had freckles when she entered her bedroom earlier today. On the bright side however, her skin was letting off a faint glow and the dark bags that she'd earned from spending numerous nights up chatting with her friends in the mirror had completely disappeared.

Aside from the glowing skin, the fact her eyes appeared a little larger and her lashes a little longer and a faint rose petal coloured tinge to her lips, Sarah could honestly not tell what took them an hour to put that much make-up on. In that time, she could have easily eaten her own weight in food.

The thought of food caused her stomach to pang painfully but Sarah tried to ignore the pain and the light headedness that slowly slipped through her.

Instead she focused on the mirror and the tiny movement she caught in the background which, if one were much mistaken, may have looked like a dwarf, a fox and a rock giant all giving signs of approval, before disappearing into the other room.

Sarah stared at her reflection who stared back with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Seeing Hoggle had reminded her of something and the reflection and Sarah shared a silent agreement.

 _The Peach._

It seemed however that Irene had grander plans and Sarah stifled a groan as Irene waved off the maids and led her to the sitting parlour to have a little 'woman to woman.'

Pouring two liberal chalices of a dark purple Irene sat across from Sarah and surveyed her over the rim of her glass, grinning like a cat who'd just been let loose in the dairy house.

"Are you nervous?"

Sarah did a mental checklist:

-Sweaty Palms? Yep.

-Butterfly's in her stomach? Only since she arrived at the palace.

-The overwhelming fear that she was going to royally screw up and dishonour her family for all eternity? Oh good, that was there to. Didn't want to miss anything did she?

Instead of informing her step mother all of this she simply smiled shyly and batted her eye lids, considering it practise for later on this evening.

"A little."

Irene nodded understandingly and patter her hand with a consoling manner.

"The first ball is the worst of all." She said knowingly.

She probably rhymed knowingly too, thought Sarah, considering her love for over dramatics.

"But, look on the bright side, they say at a woman's first ball, it is where she'll meet her true love."

Sarah felt the butterfly's flutter nervously against her rib cage.

"I see. Did you meet father at your first ball? Is he your true love?"

Irene let out a small sigh and leant forward, rubbing her thumb soothingly back and forward along Sarah's cheek, wine glass balanced precariously in the other hand.

"When you say love, when you're young, you mean something passionate and fiery. You want someone who would move the earth for you. By the time you get a little older, it's different. That's not to say it's not amazing, just not what's expected."

Sarah felt her forehead crease in confusion. She had only half been listening, the other half of her mind firmly set on the peach.

"So you don't love father?"

"Not in the way you're imagining love, no. It's more of a deep affection. It holds a certain quality of endearment. I would follow your father to the ends of the earth, but I'm completely aware he can never move it for me."

"Oh."

Sarah felt slightly stunned. Was Irene giving her relationship advice? What had Sarah gotten herself into?

Sensing the younger woman's distress, Irene shoved a sloshing glass of the plum liquid into her step-daughter's hand and raised her own chalice. Sarah simply copied her motions.

"A toast. To love."

"Love." Mumbled Sarah before draining her glass.

Sarah tried her hardest not to gag as the wine made it's way down her throat leaving behind a sharp, acidic tang at the back of her mouth. A dull buzzing sensation filled her and Sarah nervously remembered her brief encounters with ale.

Irene left in a hurry, telling Sarah to come down to the ballroom when she was ready. With a groan Sarah slumped in her chair and waited until the world stopped spinning before shuffling back to her bed chamber, in her uncomfortable shoes.

Reaching under her pillow, Sarah grabbed the plump piece of fruit. She was so famished that she was certain that she could easily swallow the whole think in one gulp but part her reminded her sharply that swallowing it whole would not remove the foul taste of the wine.

Cautiously breaking the skin of the fruit with her teeth, Sarah sighed happily as the juice drizzled down her throat, removing the vinegary aftertaste of the wine.

Sarah took a vigorous bite only to retch as the surprisingly bitter fruit slipped down to her stomach to join the wine.

Sarah quickly put the peach down, eyeing it ruefully.

"Enough of you I think." She told the fruit sternly. The fruit looked back, a picture of innocence. Straining her ears, Sarah could barely make out the tune of trumpets announcing the arrival of various guests.

Sarah hurried to the door and down a narrow flight of stone stairs, green trailing behind her. Finger pressed against the door, Sarah could feel the thrum of the music through the wood. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. She could do this.

At an after thought Sarah kicked off her pointy heels, which she could barely walk in and for the record were biting into her feet worse than a pair of fairies ever could.

It was time. Time to face the masses. Ignoring the spinning of her head Sarah put on her best coy smile and pushed open the doors the ballroom.

The ballroom was alight with the dazzling brilliance of twenty chandleries. Everything was so colourful and vibrant that it made her head her to take it all in. Or maybe it was the wine?

The room, which had seemed large yesterday morning, seemed even larger still now it was full of hundreds and hundreds of people.

Sarah was avoiding the dance floor at all costs. Her stomach had begun to churn violently and a strange twisting pain had settled behind her eyes, causing spots to flash before her at random, rapid fire intervals. She couldn't do this. She would never make it to the end of the night. Maybe she could just go back to her room and wait for the announcements. She apologised as she stumbled past someone, perhaps a woman in a red dress, she wasn't so sure.

Sarah continued to stumble until she reached a wall and leant her whole body against it, thankful for the comfort of something sturdy to hold her up. The churning had become a dull burning sensation and she felt as if she were watching the ball from under the ocean. The swell of the music held a muffled tin quality, and it was all to slow. The swirling, and the preening, and the...

Sarah's heart leapt as she felt a determined tap on her shoulder. Turning slowly, Sarah took a moment to blink back the spots, swaying gently on the balls of her feet.

"I didn't expect to see you here tonight." The man in the red army coat grinned at her, medals glinting dully in the light.

"What with your little spectacle yesterday." The young man turned to face the dancing crowd, leaving Sarah to glimpse at three long gorge marks in his face. A name swam foggily to the front of her mind, taking her a moment to register.

Phillip.

"Don't worry though, I'm telling everyone it was a bold hunting accident."

Phillip raised a meaningful eyebrow but Sarah missed it as her lips had begun to tingle painfully.

"I've found the ladies really dig hunting accidents."

Sarah nodded as bile began to burn up her throat. The room lurched in front of her suddenly.

"I see." Was all she could manage.

"Y'know," The Prince continued slyly. "If you had a twirl about the room with me now, I'd forget all about the little incident when we're married. I like a woman with a bit of spit fire."

"Then you should go after a dragon." Sarah murmured, pressing her self against the wall.

"That's the spirit!" Phillip exclaimed, grabbing her wrist and tugging her to the dancing couples, twirling about the cavernous space.

Phillip clumsily dragged her across the floor, one of his hands clasps firmly at her waist, the other holding hers. They tottered together around in sluggish circles, Phillip's palms were slick against her burning ones. The fabric his coat was made from was too prickly for her to grasp his shoulder.

 _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._

"You're really beautiful you know." Phillip said earnestly, the hand on her waist slowly inching upwards. Warning bells fired off in Sarah's mind, and the twisting sensation caused her knees to to go weak. It was pure willpower and a grinding determination that stopped them from buckling.

 _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._

She still had to build up enough to force herself away from the disgusting boy.

"I'm sorry if I offended you before by asking you to be my lover. If you were my Queen I wouldn't even need one!"

 _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._

The pair was forced to come to a jarring halt and it couldn't have ended a moment sooner in Sarah's mind as Phillip had just discovered the mid point on her ribs.

"Would you mind if I were to cut in?"

It took Sarah a moment to register the smooth voice as it wormed it's way through the layers of burning and spinning.

 _Jareth_

Sarah felt herself go slack as she was passed from one set of arms to the other. The blazing light made his hair shine like spun gold, He was wearing silver tonight. Like a star, she thought absently, or an angel. It was too hot. She was burning, burning up. The sun was never this hot. The stars were never this hot.

The Prince huffed indignantly,

"My future wife and I were quite happy together I think you'll find."

Jareth's face twisted into a snarl.

" _I think you'll find,_ I was asking you."

And so off she went again, Jareth swept her expertly across the floor, the sound and colour of the ballroom blurring together.

Burning.

Sound and Colour.

 _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._

Colour and Sound.

Burning.

 _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._

It hurt. She was on fire.

A gloved hand dug sharply into her waist. Jareth was only solid thing left and she clung to him fearfully. The corset was too tight. Her breathing had been laboured the moment she had set foot in this retched ballroom.

"A _week?_ Is **that** how long I have to be absent before you allow _some repulsive little scab_ the paw at you? The fae sneered. Sarah felt his muscles tense beneath her.

"I- I don't- it's not like that at all! I didn't mean for-"

Sarah gasped as a new searing pain shot through her.

"Jareth!"

She swooned against him, grateful for the cool material beneath her burning forehead. She felt his heart thud in his slowly rising and falling chest. Her own breathing was frantic, like a rabbit being chased by an owl.

"Again."

Sarah dizzily raised her head. The world was spinning. A private dance just for her. The hand splayed against her back had begun to trail up and down, in repetitive motions, sending pleasant shivers across her smouldering skin.

 _1 and a 2, Step, 3 and a 4, step._

"What?"

Jareth's eyes were blissfully hooded and the world began to fade in and out of focus. She could no longer felt her fingers and her toes had gone numb a long time ago. Hair the colour of the sun but not nearly as intense tickled her cheek.

"Again." He crooned softly, running his thumb roughly over the pink tinged lips.

"Say my name again Sarah."

 _"Jareth..."_ Her voice barely made it passed her parched lips.

As quickly and professionally as he had taken her to the floor, The Fae lord took her off again, green fabric floating after her.

Jareth half carried her to an entrance way that Sarah was vaguely aware may have led to a balcony of sorts.

Sarah drew in a shallow breath of cool night air. The world was still alight. The kingdom was painted below her in a patchwork of navies and deep greens. Above her, someone had taken the fabric of the universe and scattered with but a million diamonds. The sun had stained the sky with pale green. It was the solstice the night that would never end.

Sarah was aware that she was still standing, swaying gently under the moonlight. At the same time she wasn't very aware at all and almost wondered when she was going to wake up.

Gloved fingers had clasped her hands and rubbed gently back and forth over her knuckles.

"My _sweet_ Sarah,"

The fallen angel slowly enfolded his arms around her trembling figure. His features were so sharp. She had always marvelled that she had never been cut.

"My **Queen**. **_My Love_**."

Sarah watched with parted lips as her fingers entwined with his hair. Jareth groaned longingly and Sarah felt herself stumbling forward so that he could bury his face into the nape of her neck, raggedly breathing into her hair, which had slipped loose of it's pins and tumbled over her shoulders.

His touch. It was strange. It filled her with an electric tingle. A different kind of burn. Not fire but rather lightning.

"They told me," her voice coming out hoarse whisper, "That there wouldn't be any Fae here tonight."

The Fae's face quirked into an easy smile, revealing a single pointed canine.

"Perhaps that is usually the case, my precious, but tonight I am here to see my wife... If she says yes that is."

The world spun for Sarah as she looked about her to locate the mystery woman.

"Where is she?" She asked with wide green eyes. The pupils were dilated to nearly black specs.

"I'm starring at her."

It was darker now. The darkest the solstice had ever been, but the fire's burnt as hot as ever.

"But, you're starring at me."

Jareth looked as if he was trying to remember her face, her expression, her posture. Everything in that moment. Arms tightened around her, holding her up, pushing her against the length of his body. She radiated with the heat of a thousand suns.

His head was lowering towards hers.

"I am?" He breathed softly.

It was her first kiss.

It was more an act of claiming, than an act of love. Almost a vicious. Jareth met no resistance because she had nothing left to give. She was drained. The only feeling left was excruciating pain. Groaning heavily in the back of his throat, Sarah felt Jareth push against her as if she was made of honey, as if he could not breath and she were oxygen. He smiled against her lips at her gasping, coiling his fingers deeper into her hair, crushing the roses beneath his palms. Tears she could not feel slid down her face.

The kiss slowly softened into a teasing nip and the Fae shuddered as his arms loosened their desperate grasp, tracing the length of her bodice. She was quivering, but she couldn't did not feel cold.

The pain was unbearable.

She did not feel when her legs crumpled beneath her.

She did not feel her head as it raced to reach the marble ground.

The little air that was left in her lungs fled.

She did not hear Jareth call her name.

She did not hear the woman's scream.

She only saw the heavens draped above her.

AGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGGA

A/N: _'s pretty fricin late this side of the biosphere. So if the quality of writing is sh*t, I apologise. Send me the terrible ones, and I'll fix it._

 _Sorry about Phillip. He wasn't supposed to get so *Enouhlysgdhs,fhb*_ _There are no real words._

 _I am both proud and not proud of this chapter. Like suddenly wham bam thank-you ma'am and Irene and Sarah are besties. And Sarah's POV starts getting kind of trippy there, which to be fair, is more self inflicting on the character because I talk like Shakespeare when I'm drunk. ANYWAY._

 _That is LAZY writing right there. Never do that when writing your own fics. In the words of Hercules: You can go the distance._

 _Quick Q and A, 'cause of some of the questions I've been a getting:_

 _Q: Why did you look at a body? Was it like CSI?_

 _A: I have to study the human muscles for physical education. Imagine the body's skin as a sickly yellow colour, that is extremely wrinkled as all fluids have been removed. The organs are brown. Everything inside the body is a purpley-brown or a greenish-brown._

 _Q: Are you a boy or a girl? Cause, like, you had a bf called Karl, but you said Jen Con was hot?_

 _A: Let us not define ourselves with labels. I feel that society has come so far in it's acceptance of the strange and... Whatever, Female, brown hair, blue eyes. Has a preference for men but swings both ways. So Labyrinth was a truly great film for me because it had TWO leads I could drool over._

 _Q: Are you gonna write more Laby fics?_

 _A: Sure thing, chicken Wing. I got a bunch of ideas. I'm thinking a fluffy piece in which Sarah and Jareth share a flat in Manchester/ London and it'll be full of drama and angst and also A Victorian era piece featuring briefly Sherlock Holmes and a ton of opium with which Jareth will most likely use to subdue Sarah into loving him._

 _Q:What is your main Labyrinth ship?_

 _A: Well, you know, as it's pretty obvious from this fanfic, I just really think that Hoggle and Sarah are such a great dynamic, power couple, and the wedding would be so beautiful and I truly LOVE IT when Jareth hooks up with some random chick with a name like Krystal, who has to be a red head to show her individuality from society..._

 _*Takes deep breath*_

 _It's Jareth and Sarah. J/S is my ship and I will go down with it. Occasionally I've come across Sir Didymus and Hoggle pairings as well, which are kind of cute in a freaky way._

 _Q: Where does the name 'Redwood Manning' come from?_

 _A: The Rocky Horror Picture Show('s lesser known and not as great sequel 'Shock Treatment')!_

 _Question time back at ya! Does anyone else, like immediately, think of Golem when Jareth calls Sarah precious too often? I mean it's so distracting but also hilarious. I get he calls her precious once in the film but... It just brings happy little tears to my eyes._


	8. This Way Comes

It was beyond freezing in the ballroom. This was a nuisance as it was the middle of summer. It should have been sweltering. The crops in the fields were nearly burnt to a crisp but the one night she wanted to wear something without sleeves, it was colder than the Himalayas. Irene felt goosebumps rise beneath the many layers of a deep wine coloured ball gown. 'Curse of the Fae.' Her baba would have warned her. 'Always meddling with the weather, causing storms and whatnot.'

Her fingers had gone numb the moment she had sat down in her throne to regally greet the guests. She would much rather be in a warm bath, with a good book and a nice quality glass of champagne, but it was her duty to on an icy throne until her bottom froze solid, greeting the people of the court.

The Lady Irene glance imperviously over to her husband, Robert, who was laughing merrily at something an odd man with a pointed black beard had told him. He seemed to be having a good time at least.

Once again gazing about the beautifully lit golden ball room and nodding slightly to anyone she made eye contact with Irene finally caught sight of the green clad Sarah floating awkwardly to and fro with the young Phillip. His face, Irene shuddered, was rather nastily swollen from the other day and on closer inspection was probably oozing puss.

Her step-daughter looked as if she were about to throw up. Irene would have probably looked the same if she had that boy had been trying to peer down her dress all night.

Irene nearly jumped out of her seat when Robert leaned over, patting her hand.

"Young love." He said fondly, nodding to the dancing couple.

Irene wrinkled her nose. Partly at the thought of Sarah having to marry the gangly child, but also because she had just remember that said gangly child smelt faintly of pickles, which would be making the ordeal even more painful for her poor little girl.

"Reminds me of her mother, she does." Her husband continued, "So beautiful and wild."

Occasionally mentally deranged, Irene added, thinking back to their first encounter together.

Leaving Robert to his memories, Irene turned back to the girl, who had switched partners and was now gracefully twirling in the arms of a stunningly poised man who was probably wearing more make-up than Irene had ever owned in her life.

If she had just been judging from his hair Irene would have suggested that he had been dragged back wards no less than twice though a bush but his clothing was impeccable. He was wearing dark, well-fitted breeches, with sturdy leather boots. Over a dark grey vest he wore a silver dress jacket, which nicely complemented Sarah's green. Where she was soft, gentle and flowing, he was hard, angular and sharp. In his button hole sat a matching tea green rose.

Something akin to an itch settled in Irene's mind. It was strange. The man hadn't been formally introduced to him, and yet he was obviously royalty of some sort. The thought gnawed away at her.

Irene tugged on her husband's sleeve to get his attention.

"Who's that man over there, dancing with the Princess?"

Roberts eyes skipped over the pair (The male, Irene's lips tightened as she noted with some disapproval, had gotten rather intimate with his caresses) with a total lack of interest and even slight indifference towards his daughter.

"Oh, that's just the Goblin King with his lady." He answered vaguely, "He was planning on asking for her hand in marriage this evening. Capital fellow. Charming couple! Couldn't be any happier for him."

Irene's eye brows shot low over her eyes in confused concern.

"But that's your daughter!" She hissed though clenched teeth.

Robert sat rigid in his throne, his pale eyes glassy.

"That's nice dear."

Irene felt as if someone had replaced all the air with treacle as she watched the Goblin King had swiftly leave the dance floor, with Sarah stirring woozily in his arms.

Without a second thought she followed after them.

Alarm bells were screaming in the woman's head as she frantically wadded through dancing crowd to the other side of the room.

Sarah was in danger, the alarm bells warned over and over again.

Irene finally broke through the ranks of dancers and hurried to the balcony, dreading what she would find there.

The night air was crisp and the sun's final rays hovered just above the horizon.

Her Sarah was sprawled across the ground, dress pooling around her, bare feet peeking out from the lacy trim. Her beautiful, dark hair had come undone at some point during the night and fanned about her face, which had turned as pale as the flowers adorning her hair.

The King of the Goblin's had the length of his body pressed against hers and was coaxingly murmuring her name.

Irene heard a piercing, furious scream.

Her own?

A fierce anger bubbled beneath her surface.

"GET AWAY FROM HER YOU **BASTARD**!"

Before Irene had even registered what she had done, she shoved the man off her step-daughter, with a grunt and had begun to cradle the child soothingly, stroking the damp mass of curls away from her burning forehead.

Sarah's breathing was ragged. Her breast rising and falling in sharp, painful puffs. Her face was damp from tears.

"Mother?"

The child's lips trembled. If she had wanted to, Irene could have counted each individual lash on the girl's eyelid.

"I'm here, Sarah. I'm here."

Bitter sobs racked the child's body, Every breath costing her.

"It hurts."

Irene felt her throat closing over.

"I know. I know."

Rising her green eyes to the heavens, the girl let out a feeble, strained laugh.

"Look Irene. The stars. Don't they look very different today."

Letting out a final shuddering breath, the child's taunt body sagged against her, gleamless eyes still turned to the stars.

The Goblin King, who had remained a silent and imposing figure for this spectacle, lithely reached forward and plucked the child from Irene's grasp and gathered her in his arms, softly brushing his lips against the head lolled against his chest.

Irene felt the anger re-ignite within her. She snarled at this horrible man.

"What did you do to her? Fix her! Change it back. NOW!"

A small group of gatherers had crowded behind her, watching the scene with interest. Usually the most exciting thing to happen at one of these events was marriage proposal. A murder on the other hand...

The Goblin King haughtily raised a frosted eye brow, brushing an imaginary speck of lint off the Princess's gown.

"This isn't my doing." He drawled.

"I don't care if it's the MAN ON THE MOON'S FAULT!" She shrilled, "You knew _exactly_ what was happening when you dragged her out here and YOU WILL FIX IT!"

The Goblin King didn't even bat and eyelid, merely moving the Princess so that she lay slightly more comfortably in his arms.

"Tell me Goblin King," The Lady Irene's voice turned mockingly inquisitive. "Do you usually molest girls half your age?"

The crowd oohed at the back-handed comment and no less than five women fluttered their fans in a scandalised manner.

A feral grin slowly spread across the King's face.

"She is sixteen. A woman in the eyes of the court." He said, purposefully tilting Sarah's lifeless form so that his lips were a fraction from hers. His eyes trailed down the length of her green dress.

"I've had the right to this enticing little thing since before she was born."

If there wasn't a crowd before there was one now. The Goblin King (Irene was liking this show pony less and less by the minute) had slid his hand into the curve of the departed girl's back and was making good use of the pale throat displayed to him, hungrily moving his mouth back and forth.

Almost like a dance, Irene thought with gross fascination. She was snapped out of this thought by a woman near the back who sounded as if she was having an orgasm. Fantastic, she groaned inwardly, shooting the woman a disgusted look, not only is a pedophilic Fae in attendance this evening but also a a noble woman who finds necrophillia a turn on. If chivalry is dead then it's most certainly rolling in it's grave.

"Unhand the Princess Sarah, or you shall suffer the consequences."

The wild King scoffed, burying his face in the girls untamed curls of hair.

"I very much doubt that."

Irene smiled with a grim satisfaction. Robert had grown distressed at the sight of his daughter and had to be escorted out of the room. Ironically, the doctor's had given him a sleeping draught.

She was back in the God forsaken freezing throne but this time she had the Goblin King bound in irons at her feet. He had ruined a perfectly good ball, drugged her innocent step-daughter and now she was going to bring him to justice. With Robert out of the room he was completely at her mercy. The court watched sombrely on as the King lounged insolently before her, Sarah still clasped in his arms.

The shadows slithered around the walls restlessly.

According to the physician's, she was still breathing and a faint pulse could be found but they had not yet found away to pull her free without harming her and even with the iron dampening his powers and only using one hand, the King of the Goblin's had amazingly managed to take down three guards.

Irene could have sworn that she glimpsed a beady red eye glaring at her from the corner but she shook it off as sleeplessness. Turning to the gathering of colourful courtesans, she addressed the rogue.

"Jareth," her voice boomed throughout the ballroom," High Fae lord and King of the Goblins, Do you have anything to say in your defence regarding the accusation that you poisoned the Princess Sarah after she rejected you."

The Goblin King yawned in an exceedingly bored, arrogant manner. Irene quenched the urge to grit her teeth.

"Pray tell, _your highness,_ Why would I poison the woman I wish to marry, if she hadn't even rejected me?"

Irene sat, with her mouth agape.

"... She didn't reject you? Why is she like this? You said if she turned down your advances then she would fall into a death like state. I was there Goblin King. I remember."

The King arched his back languidly, rolling his eyes to the ceiling in disbelief. With an afterthought he shifted the slumbering girl so she was nestled comfortably between the hollow of his neck and his shoulder.

"You _remember,_ Irene?" He asked pleasantly, "I'm **so** glad I made **such** an impression! Did you have your _eyes_ on the **weak fool's** kingdom then or were just there to honour my Queen?"

Irene's nostrils flared.

"Linda was MY FRIEND! I never even looked at Robert that way until... It matter's not."

King Jareth shrugged lightly, twitching a few stray hairs from Sarah's face.

"Of course not... It's only..."

The Goblin King tapped his chin thoughtfully with his free hand, iron links clinking in the silent throne room.

"Linda, Linda, Linda. There's a name I know... But where from?"

A small, fiendish gleam lit the Wild King's eyes, and he gently nuzzled the sleeping Sarah, inhaling deeply. Noticing Irene stiffening at his actions he smirked, sparing her a small wink before continuing.

"Ah _yes!_ I remember now... _Linda."_

His voice came out a low purr.

"The _last_ Queen... I _do_ believe she died of insanity. I wonder how this one will fare."

His comment seemed to be aimed at the unconscious Princess, but Irene felt a small thrill of fear run through her.

"Enough Goblin King! You can do nothing to me while in those iron chains."

His lips quirked into an amused smile.

"No. I suppose you're _right_. I am _totally and completely_ powerless against you. My **subjects** on the other hand..."

A woman shrieked as her saffron coloured skirt was flipped over his head. All over the room wine flutes shattered in the hands of unsuspecting nobles. Fires were setting off left, right and centre. Pranks were being pulled on even the most rigid of Dukes. The windows had slammed open. When Irene thought it couldn't get any worse she heard a mournful bleat from beside her. Turning around she found herself face to face with a rather distressed looking goat.

Irene looked over to the King who looked in the least bit fazed, and then back at the goat.

"Make this stop." She hissed.

The Goblin King shrugged elegantly, "Let me free."

"Fine!"

She glared at the man with as much contempt as she could muster while her ballgown was being munched on by a goat.

"But," she added, "Only, if you leave Sarah here. No using your magic to whisk here away to heavens knows where."

The King sighed wistfully, toying with one of Sarah's dark curls.

"If I must."

As quickly as the chaos started, it stopped.

King Jareth held out an expectant hand, the iron glinting dully.

"Well?"

Irene gestured to a guard stationed at the door. Hesitantly, the hulking man scurried forward. When he got within spitting distance to the prisoner, The King snarled, showing rows of pointed teeth. With a rather feminine yelp, the guard tossed the key to the Goblin King and scampered off.

Free from his chains, the Fae King rubbed his wrists ruefully, before scooping up Sarah back up.

"I am now going to escort my beloved back to her chamber's. If any of you simpleton's so much as touch her I can promise you a less than swift and most painful end."

He strode purposefully to the grand exit, and Irene scurried after him. Just as she and the King reached the door, a voice called out from the crowd.

"Wait!"

Irene heard King Jareth groan quietly and mutter something along the lines of:

"Now what?"

Only with more colourful language.

Turning around Irene saw the young Prince Phillip staggering from the crowd. The goblin's it seemed had seen fit to strip him down to his undergarments, and across his chest in brown sticky letter's someone had scrawled the word "PIG."

Only the 'G' was backwards.

"What about True Love's Kiss? Surely that would break the spell!"

The Goblin King lip curled.

"Why _yes! Of Course!_ 'True Love's Kiss!' Why hadn't I thought of that?" His voice dripped with sarcasm. The Prince looked affronted.

"We could at least try? Who knows who the Princess may have fallen for?"

The Goblin King had already started walking up the stairs and Irene hurried to catch up with him.

"Don't flatter yourself." He called to the boy without looking back.

Reaching the top of the staircase, The Goblin King kicked the door open and absent mindedly, Irene wondered how much that would cost to fix.

The King of the Goblin had already strolled though the sitting parlour through to the bedroom, Sarah still hanging limply in his arms.

Irene tore her gaze from the door, and briskly trotted after him.

In the room, the pale white colours seeming oddly clinical, The Goblin King had carefully lain out his Queen and appeared to be talking with her.

"Not exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted to get you into bed, dear one." He crooned fondly, entwining his gloved fingers with hers. Irene fingered the goat hole in her wine coloured dress, trying to ignore the intimate moment.

"No matter, I can wait."

Gently pressing his mouth to the sleeping girl's forehead, The Goblin King disappeared in a flurry of glitter, which blew away.

How the hell did he a wind get in? Irene pondered as she made her way back to the ballroom.

Inside chaos reined supreme. Although the goblin's were clearly gone, everyone was crowding around a single point in the room. Some were solum, some were laughing.

Straightening her dress as best as she could, Irene squared her shoulders giving off a collected air of power.

"My fair consorts, the threat has been dealt with. Why are we standing around braying like animals?"

This bought more laughter but the crowd parted, Gentlemen gwauffing and Ladies tittering behind feather fans.

In the centre, the King Hubert of Bristonia was sobbing, next to him a spotted pig snuffled about. Irene noted a strange stripped pattern on one side of the pig's face.

"The monster Goblin King," Hubert wailed, "He turned my only heir into a pig."

ASASASASASASASASASASASASASSASASASASASASASASASASASAS

 _A/N: Guess who's back? Back again. Shady's back. Tell a friend. T_

 _his is just a little tie up of some loose knots. Irene is frazzled that's why she's so informal. (Actually I just couldn't get into_ _character)_

 _Jareth kissing the 'dead' Sarah is totally justifiable as he is based off Heathcliff and well... Yeah... He won't go as fair as Heathcliff._

 _Probably._

 _Does this mean Phillip is gone forever and ever? Yes. Thank-you for that review telling me that I put 'starring' instead of 'staring,' (*grumbles* why to ruin the moment with your bad grammar Manning)._


	9. The Clock Strikes 11

Months flew by in the Underground, the winter solstice came and went, and yet the Princess Sarah remained in her enchanted sleep. A funeral had been held (not quite the grand celebration which was expected by the Kingdom) and yet it had caused unease. How is one to hold a funeral for a girl who still lives and breaths?

Hope still remained for the people as, according to both medical and magical practitioners, the Princess was very much alive. Sometimes she would stir a little, or her lips would curl in a faint, knowing smile. Perhaps it was the flickering light of the candle, but some even claimed to have seen her eyelids fluttering.

Many a foolish young male had grown infatuated at the site of the young Princess lying in her glass coffin, presuming she would be meek and gentle in real life as she was in sleep. Because of this they attempted to wake the girl by venturing to the Castle beyond the Goblin City which lay within the wild lands to slay the horrific Goblin King and free her of her curse but sadly for them, they all perished within the Labyrinth's walls.

As for the Goblin King, he had not been seen by mortal eye since the night his beloved had fallen into her deathlike state, yet any maid working in King Robert's castle could tell you that the Princess Sarah had a constant watcher. A single white owl.

Initially, Irene had suspected Robert. Grief shows itself in mysterious ways and although frowned upon, it was not unknown for men to become infatuated with their daughters. There wasn't much to go by, just enough to cause a slight feeling of dread to settle over the woman.

Occasionally one side of the bed was creased, as if someone else had been lying there. Sometimes, she would visit her at night, and the next morning there would be a fresh vase of flowers by her bedside, despite the head maid insisting no-one had been in after she locked the door.

It wasn't until one day, when Irene walked in to see her step-daughter's painted lips heavily smudged, that she had decided to take action.

She began to wear the only key to the room on a chain around her neck. She would check on the girl when ever she had the chance. She had forbidden Robert or any man to see the girl without her presence.

Karen rolled onto her side trying to get some sleep. Yes, initially she had suspected Robert, but if Robert was here, snoring next to her in bed, then who was it she could hear in the next room?

Irene drew a shawl around her shoulder's as her feet padded along the cold stone floor. She reached the heavy, wooden door, which was still locked, with the icy cold key still hung around her neck... And a faint, white, iridescent glow flickering from under the crack around the door.

Irene's trembling finger's forced the key into the lock. Had the window's been shut? Could someone have possibly climbed up the battlements?

Irene gave a grunt as she shoved the door open, staggering into the room to survey the possible damage.

"Goblin King." It wasn't even said in a shocked manner. Who else could have been getting in and out of a locked room with such ease?

Dark smudged eyes briefly surveyed the Lady Irene from the sunken hollows of the wild King's face before flicking back to the girl, he lay, sprawled next to.

"You don't look well. Have you been getting enough sleep?" Irene said politely as she cautiously approached the bed. She had to be cautious. It was impossible to gauge his mood and they'd only just gotten rid of the goat. However, Phillip was still a pig. In the literal sense of course.

The Goblin King barked a laugh out, stroking the Princess Sarah's hair.

"My darling has been doing the sleeping for both of us I fear. Do you think she remembers me?" He asked, twirling a glowing sphere between gloved fingertips. His voice was surprisingly hoarse but it was hard to tell if it was underuse or overuse.

Irene shrugged wrapping the shawl closer.

"She is asleep, whether she remembers you or not is impossible to guess."

The Goblin King ran a long finger down the curve of her face.

"I remember." He whispered roughly, "I remember her laugh, her smile. The way she felt in my arms. The taste she left on my lips. I haven't been able to see into her dreams since the summer solstice."

Irene shuffled her bare feet uncomfortably, wondering if there was a way she could call a guard without drawing to much attention.

"Quite. Have you found what has put her in this state?"

The flittering crystal barely illuminated the room, viciously stretching the shadows across his face, on which sat a grotesquely proud grin.

"A dwarf."

Irene shuddered and waited for him to evaluate but he didn't.

"I see."

The Wildling King had gone back to staring at her step-daughter, possessively brushing his thumb against the insides of her wrists. Irene shiftily eyed the rope that would bring the guards running if she tugged on it, perhaps if she leapt towards it, the King wouldn't be fast enough to stop her. Irene shifted her feet, preparing to make a bolt for it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The King warned in a sing-song voice. "I had one of my subjects gnaw through that rope months ago."

Irene sighed hopelessly.

"Then why are you here? To whisk our Princess away?"

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." He tutted, shaking his head as if she was a small child who had just failed a test. "I am here to make sure _My Princess_ doesn't forget."

With that he gentle dropped the crystal he had been whirling back and forth against the Princesses forehead.

The room was thrown into darkness.

"Sleep well my precious, and dream beautiful dreams about me."

By the time Irene's eye adjusted, he was long gone. The only evidence of him even being there was the faint trail of silver glittering across the girl's pillow and a long, white feather lovingly tucked in her hair.

* * *

 _A/N: It's been a while._

 _Not that I'm all that sorry._

 _Really the only reason I'm here is because I had a crazy dream in which a reader punched me in the stomach and told me my account was suspended until I finished this story._

 _You'll see the next update whenever._


	10. The clock Strikes 12

At first, there was light. She understood that this was new, as there had only been nothing for a long time.

Not darkness.

Not light.

Nothing.

After the light, something else new came. The faint strains of music, of laughter. She had heard these things before. The girl tilted her head inquisitively, trying to catch some more of the elusive noise.

Shapes began to form from the light, flickering to and from. The girl watched with some interest and before she knew it people, dressed in deep purples, blood reds, navy blues, crushed oranges, sickly yellows, olive greens and every other colour on the spectrum.

Glancing down at her arms, she saw that she was dressed head to toe in white, silver glinting and threading it's way through her ensemble too.

It was all very strange, she thought to herself as she wandered through the crowds. It was too hazy. The light too soft, the shadows too dark, the colours too deep.

She was certain there had been something before this ballroom but if one were to ask, then she would say that she had been there her whole life. That she had never once left these walls draped in silver satin and silk, yet by the same notion, if someone were to ask her (which no-one would because they were all to preoccupied for the likes of her) what grass was, she could have easily replied that grass was green and fresh, it was what cows ate in the springtime and she had fond memories of grass, despite not _specifically_ remembering any.

It was all very puzzling.

A woman in a red dress held up purely against the laws of gravity brushed passed her hurriedly and the girl's eyes trailed after her.

She caught a flash of royal blue between the shifting masses. She knew it was important, so she followed it.

* * *

Part of Jareth realised that he was being exceedingly foolish. No doubt his kingdom was going to ruin, though he very much doubted the goblins had noticed anything out of the ordinary.

Recently he had been so eager to sleep and join her in this dream world they shared that he would skip his evening meal. Then, the next morning, he would sleep late and miss breakfast. His cheeks were becoming sallow, his face was drawn and pale and yet... and yet it did not matter while she stared up at him with such devotion and awe.

Waking hours were a mere burden which he had to face before returning to his Sarah.

He pulled her a little closer, watching blush and smile sweetly up at him in the same fashion a hawk watches a rabbit.

Gods above she was beautiful.

And she was his.

The first few weeks they had danced, nothing else, but four and a half weeks in she had asked, rather nervously, who he was. At first, he had been furious and had left, vowing never to return to her. But after torturing that blasted Hogbrain he had learnt that after that peach the dwarf gave her, she didn't recall any of her previous life with him. It was agonising, and yet, it was perfect.

And after the first time he had returned, he was more than happy to come back night after night after night. Mostly due to the fact Sarah had flung herself into his arms and begged... _begged_ him never to leave her again.

Over the months and seasons, he fed her little tibits of informations, small half truths and white lies.

He was a King.

She was his bride.

This was their wedding ball.

"Why _else_ would you be wearing a wedding gown, my darling?" He'd asked her with a smile.

Sarah nodded slightly as if trying to reassure herself that it made sense.

"Yes, you must be right, Why else would I be wearing a wedding gown?" She had said more to herself than to him.

She was so eager to please, so concerned that her forgetfulness had upset him that she neglected to ask even the smallest detail about herself. She didn't know her name, and he didn't press her for it. She wasn't aware that she had a mother or a father, she simply was, and by all means that worked for him.

So they danced, until the clock told him it was time to leave and then he would return and the cycle would repeat in a downward spiral as the masquerade goers slowly grew more drunk on lust.

Sarah however did something peculiar this time around. He should have expected it. His girl was anything but ordinary.

It took everything within the Goblin King's power not to shudder as her arms looped around his neck, her fingers momentarily grazing against the skin there.

She must have been standing on tip-toe as he could almost see eye to eye. She had such stunning eyes. She was stunning. She was his.

"I love you, my King."

Quickly, as if fearing being rebuked for her actions, she pressed her mouth against his. Adrenaline soared through his veins, higher and faster than he had ever soared as an owl. She had come to him? This was truly happening? Perhaps he wasn't in the shared dreamworld, but rather, had slipped into one of his own fantasies. He had wanted this for so long, that it would make sense. It was usually him who reacted in such a way, not her.

The most truly amazing Kiss ended much before he wanted it to.

It had spanned perhaps three-seconds.

As the rather astounded Jareth watched her dimple and duck her blushing head towards her feet, he contemplated the possible merits of throwing her on the floor and having her then and there. It was his _right_ , was it not? For all means and purposes he was her husband and she, his wife.

And she... she _wanted_ him. Though the dwarf claimed she wouldn't know her own brother if she happened to pass by but... She had sought after _him_. On the very first day, she had come to him.

He let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding.

He realised what he wanted now, what he needed.

He cast a glance at the clock hanging from the wall. What of it if he was an hour of two late this morning? It was not as if he had anything better to do.

Just as he had all those nights ago at her birthday, The Goblin King quickly led her off the floor.

Large, innocent eyes looked up at him hopefully.

"You're not leaving yet?"

Jareth drew the girl into an alcove lined with mirrors hidden behind a heavy silver curtain, pulling her flush against his body so they could both fit in the crevice. Although he missed the warmth of her lips, her body against his was still doing a suitable job.

"After that little _display_?" He purred, reaching out a trembling hand to stroke the curve of her cheek "My sweet, I think not."

They were so close that her breath tickled against his cheek. In all honesty, her dress was simply to large to fit comfortably. Jareth smirked, he'd just have to dispose of it then.

He began to close the already minuscule gap. There was nothing to stop him this time.

No idiotic boys playing hero.

No simpering step-mothers.

Nothing at all to distract Sarah as his lips tenderly collided with hers. It was all he could do not to groan into her mouth when she uncertainly knotted her finger's in his hair. She was responding, slowly but oh so very surely, she was responding. He had her pressed against the wall now, swallowing her incoherent pants and keening with his mouth.

Nearly surprising himself with his own gentleness, he softly murmured encouragement into her lips so that he wouldn't frighten her, his fingers working deftly on the fastenings on the back of her dress. He didn't want her to pull away and he didn't want her to be scared off.

He moaned when she _did_ pulled away from him with a small whimper of surprise.

"Please, I don't... What I mean to say is..." She stared at him beseechingly, almost enough to make him feel guilt for what he was about to do. "Please, what are you doing?"

He shifted slightly so that she would be able to feel that weight of his hips against hers, rubbing her back soothingly until she relaxed against him. He shuddered this time, when his Sarah sighed softly against his neck.

"Shhh..." his hand dipped a little lower on her back, "You can _trust_ me, my precious. I promise."

The Goblin King would have to edge along slowly now. Gently, _softly_. He didn't want her to run.

Keeping eye contact with her, he slowly lowered his head to her neck, hands still softly stroking her back, her hips, her waist. Anywhere he could reach.

His heart surged against his chest when his lips smiled against her neck feeling her pulse fluttering against him, nuzzling and sucking in adoration.

He freed his hands long enough to discard his jacket before pulling her dress a little lower. He felt her squirming so he cupped her beautiful face in his hands, skimming his thumbs back and forth reassuringly. He lightly brush his lips against hers, before making his way towards her increasingly uncovered breasts.

She was flawless.

He flicked his tongue between the crevice of her breasts, trying not to smirk when her pink little mouth silently fell open in a perfect 'O.' She writhed against the wall, making small mewling noises.

Good. She wanted him. He was close now. All he had to do wa-

"I wish the Goblin King would come and take you away. Right now."

Jareth growled low in his throat at the familiar tug in his stomach. Of all the times! He would destroy whoever had wished this time. He swore it.

The Goblin King clasped one of Sarah's small hands within his own.

"I shall return to you my precious." He said brushing lips against her hand, "Until then, _Stay Here._ " He put a bit of command behind his over-wise sweet tone.

Without a further glance he spun on his heel, tugging his gloves ruefully back in place. Whoever it was who had called on him was about to have their guts made into Sarah's garters.

* * *

The girl peered at the yellowing glass that was spotted with age. There was something about mirrors... Something _important._ She ran her fingernail along a crack in the glass.

"If I ever need you... I'll call."

* * *

 _A/N: And that folks is the closest you're ever going to get to sex in this fic. Mostly for underage reasons._

 _I swear this entire thing is just me cock blocking Jareth._

 _But now we must ponder the question, 'If you had sex in a peach induced dream orgy, did you really have sex at all?"_


	11. The Clock Strikes 13

_A/N: The chapter in which the author delves deep into the minds of goblins (Not very far) and all the deep penultimate conflict goes down._

 _This is not mine._ _Whumper is mine but I'm not keeping him 'cause he smells._

 _Have fun._

Whumper were extrumptly proud about a numberous of things and was more than willing to admit to thems. Fer example, ef someone weres to tell him that he be the ugliest goblin they knewed, Whumper would simply leer his jagged teeth, coz that be politely in the mannerisms. Ef someone, on passing, mentioninged that Whumper weres second in conniving only to the high majesty himself, Whumper would blush a fetching shade of purple and thank thum.

However ef yous were to asked Whumper ef had eva had a brother, he would flat owt deny it. "No," you seys, "You did have a brother, didn't you? Rangle, or Rats-tail?" No matter what name yous be guessing Whumper wills informering you that no, he never had a brother. His name DEFINITELY wasn't Ratchet and he was most certainly certain that Ratchet, who doesn't even exist by the way, did not end up face first in the bog.

After alls ef Whumper had had such an idiotical brother, than why was it that he, Whumper himzelf, had been given the job of watching the Princessette now?

Yis, the King only gave that kind ov a job to someone who could control themselfs and not drink scrummy ale on te job. And that someone, was Whumper.

Whumper examinationed the girlie. He'd already sawn the rest ov the room and now he wanted to sea what made this human sew special. After all, he had been human wonce and the King didn't want to marryiage him. At least Whumper certainly HOPED he don'ted. That wood certainly make the relationship between them awkward.

Strictly business.

The King gave Whumper jobs to do and in return, Whumper got qualitatious ale.

Ale that Whumper couldn't currently drank coz he was watching the girl who aten the peach.

She had hare the colour of a muddy puddle and i's the same green as a piece of mouldy bread. Her skin weres similar to that of a plucked chicken's but smoother and softer. Understandably she wasn't as attractive as a goblin but that's what was so wonderousful about the King. He hads clearly sawn this pore girl and realised that she would foureva have crippling self esteam issueds do to her less than angular features or jutting knows and chin and out of the goodness of his hart, decided to marryiage her. That's just the kind of man the King was. He weres good. Even ef he didn't let his Goblins drink un da job.

But Whumper woodn't even have to bee watching the girlie if she's weres with the King, but the King couldn't bee wif her all the time becoz he hads two stay at the castle beyund the goblin sity.

An idea came to Whumper, which is rarerer than a nice farie. What ef Whumper wished the girl away to the King? Then, the King could take hers back to the castle and Whumper could has he's ale four beeing such a good guard for the girl.

Whumper puffed out his spindly chest. Now he wood also bee proud to admit he weres the smarterst goblin too.

"I wish the Goblin King would come and take you away." He began confidently, pointing at the girl pointedly. The King weres going to bee so pleased. "Right now."

Whumper weighted a few moments. Then another few. Just before Whumper was about to give up all hope and just go home and drink sum ale, he felt a light breeze flutter passed his should much similar to the way a bat flutters it's wings but with less of the annoyingly screeching and a lot more glitter.

Glitter meant the King.

Whumper scampered around to face the King, dropping into a low bow with his face smushed into the floor. He may have broken his nose in his excitedment.

"My, my, my," Whumper herd the King say softly, his riding crop tapping harshly against his leather clad arm, "What's all _this about_?"

Whumper risked a peek up at the King a noticed how sharply his eyebrow swooped over his darkening eyes.

"It's... um... The girl's bedroom your most higherest."

The King slowly let a grin slip across his face, crouching down to Whumper's level so the goblin could sea each individual point. Whumper nearly dropped dead from fright when the King's crop flicked the end of the goblin's pointy nose.

"I can _see_ that Whoper," The King hissed, the smile never once leaving his face. Whumper was a lottle (A lot more than a little) afraid now. Maybe he had made a mistake. "but what, _pray tell_ , are you doing wishing about the all powerful _Goblin King_? You didn't do that? _Surely_. I mean, goblin's are... stupid creatures _at the best_ of times but even _I_ highly doubt one could be _that_ stupid."

Whumper, however was not the brightest of Goblin's but was in fact less than willing to admit that he had been that stupid.

"N-n-no your most maliciousness. I just hads a thought, yous seas and I... um... I thunk that perhaps, ef I wished the girl away two you, then yous wood finally bee able to take her home wifout the oath you made to the Queen getting in the weigh."

Whumper watched as the King took one cautionary step towards the bed. Then another. Then another. Finally he was next to the girl.

"Well, well, well. What is an ingenious idea doing coming from such an imbecilic goblin?" asked the King as he slowly lowered his hand toward the Princesses cheek almost as if he were afraid of burning his hand.

Whumper shrugged in his modesty.

"I'm not to sure me self."

Scooping up the girl as if she wayed less than a feather (Witch she did not. Whumper had considered lifting her all the way to the Goblin Kingdom before but had had to scrap the idea), the King slowly made his way across to Whumper, who was currently wondering how much ale he would get for being such a genius.

"Although," The King continued off-handedly, "you have just ruined a rather important moment for me..." The King's beam that he gave the girl blurred the line of enraptured and hunger.

"and," his voice hardened "if I ever let it get out that I had _allowed_ one of my own subjects... A _Goblin_ no less," He spat, "order me about, I doubt I would ever maintain my reputation."

Whumper snorted nervously, a habit he had picked up from his brother, who had picked it up from his father, who according to the King, had been a pig.

"Suppose eye wont's be telling no nobody bout it them." Whumper said, dragging his clawed toes anxiously against the stone falls. It sounded like finger nails running down a chalk board which is a very calming sound to goblins.

The King regarded him with a tilted head.

"Hm... I very much doubt it but perhaps I am mistaken..." The Goblin King pointed his crop at the goblin, "Didn't you have a brother Whumper?"

Whumper nodded slowly. He didn't want to admit it but it was the King.

The King's teeth glinted in the soft light of the girl's room.

"I see. And family is so _very_ important, is it not?"

Again, Whumper nodded.

"Good. Enjoy the little _reunion_."

Whumper didn't see the crystal until it was to late and he hadn't even realised what had happened until he landed face first in teh mushiness of the swamp.

In a castle hundreds of miles away, The Goblin King smiled down at his Princess.

"You really do bring out the best in me love." He purred as they faded away in a shower of technicolour glitter.

* * *

The girl stared at the grime flecked glass and watched as the other celebrators twirled passed in the reflection. It was odd. Here she was at her wedding, and yet she knew no-one. Maybe her husband could introduce her to some of the guests when he returned. Perhaps if Hoggle were here he could explain what wa- Wait. Hoggle?

Who was Hoggle?

The girl's brow furrowed in confusion as thought's flickered at the edge of her mind, just out of reach. That's right, there had been a dwarf once. She thought harder, but it was like trying to read a passage from a book splattered with ink. There HAD been a dwarf. He had been grumpy and his face lumpy like a potato and had been named Hoggle... and he had cared. For her? There had been something about mirrors. Something she had forgotten.

"If you ever need me," She murmured, pressing her hand flat against the mirror,

"Call."

She jumped when a gloved hand pressed over the top of her own. Fine hair tickled the bare tops of her shoulder's.

A pair of well known lips whispered against her ear.

"I need you." She felt a sharp nose press itself against the side of her face. "All of you." He mumbled into her hair as the hand pressed against the mirror ghosted a trail along her tingling arm.

He was back.

Early.

She turned almost apprehensively to face her husband. The man with no name. He grinned at her, letting his hand settle in the curve of her back, the other one twirling a riding crop back and forth between his fingers.

"Hello love." He smirked, and for once it seemed less endearing and more unsettling, "Did you miss your poor, suffering husband?"

The girl smiled nervously, trying to shift to shift passed him so that her back would be facing the dance floor rather than the mirror where he could cage her easily.

It didn't work.

"Of course my love." Her laugh sounded fake to both their ears. "I just wasn't expecting you to be back so soon."

The girl cursed herself for being so see through. Sir Didymus had always taught her _never_ to underestimate an opponent and- Sir Didymus! Yes! How could she have ever forgotten he beloved knight in shining armour?

The man who she prayed was not her husband quirked his head to one side as if observing an interesting specimen.

"How could I not rush back, my pet, after the last time we were together?"

The girl tried not to openly shuddered at the thought of what she had let him do. She had kissed him for God sakes!

"Of course my love." The girl's smile looked slightly less fake this time and had been welded in on with determination. Deep down however, she wanted nothing more than for Ludo come and smash this crystal hell apart with his rocks. Hoggle, Didymus and Ludo. That was right. She felt do happy she wanted to laugh with relief. She remembered.

"I remember." She said proudly to herself.

The man who was not her husband's face flooded with relief.

"I'm glad I didn't make such a fleeting impression, precious. Now, how about you give your husband something for the panic you just put him through? Hm?"

The girl smiled in what she hoped to be a coy fashion, fiddling with a button on the stranger's waistcoat.

"And what could I give to the King who has everything?" She asked, her dress ruffling as she took a minuscule step back. When her back hit the glass she knew there was no where left to go.

The haughty man eyed her like a vulture, leaning to one side, "Let me see... It would have to be something precious I dare say... How about..." He paused, tapping his crop against his chin, "A _Kiss_?"

Toby. This was how she lost Toby.

Before she was ready, his mouth was demandingly pressing against his and the girl's back was push against the cold mirror. She felt one of his gloved hand yank painfully at her hair. The other, entwined his fingers with her own beside her head, the shaft of the whip pressing between the two.

A blind panic set in. She didn't want- If she wriggled he would just- She tried to move but the hand in her hair- It wouldn't let her- Her yelps only encouraged-

The hand entwined with hers wrapped her fingers around his whip, as he murmured to her that it wouldn't hurt, that she was making it hard for herself, that this was what she wanted. His hand was now free of the riding crop and he urged her to relax, to submit, just for a while as his hand began to crawl down her back until- Oh God! Oh God! Please no. Oh God! He was going to- She needed someone to protect her. She needed Ludo and his rocks. She needed Didymus to come charging in on his noble steed. She wanted Hoggle.

The man who was not her husband groaned against her mouth and tried to deepen the kiss. Her knuckles whitened around the whip with determination.

They weren't here.

She would have to protect herself.

She lashed against the man with the whip, putting in all her anger and hatred behind her throw.

The man staggered back, wrenching his arm away from were it had been splayed against her waist, to clutch his face.

A slight nick marred his face, dancing just between his cheekbone and his eye. He lifted his hand in disbelief, gingerly touching the swelling, before lowing it and swivelling his face back towards hers. His eyes locked on her's dangerously and she felt as if the room itself were cackling with the energy of a thousand lightning bolts.

The girl stood there aghast, the whip slipping through her fingers and clattering to the floor.

She took a cautious step towards the man, hoping that he would just brush it off as over excitement. Hesitantly, she lifted her trembling fingers to the cut she inflicted but before she could reach it his hand reached up to crush her fingers. Her eyes watered furiously as she blinked through the pain.

"My, now what am I supposed to do with a _disobedient_ little wife like you?" He asked cooly.

The girl stared back with an equal amount of coolness.

" _I am not your wife._ " She snarled, tugging at her hand.

She recognised the flash of panic in his eyes and realised that he was not invincible.

His grip tightened until she felt her fingers pop. A dull ache built up in her throat. She must not cry.

He smiled at her lazily, twisting her wrist painfully.

"Of course you are. Do you not fear me as a wife should her husband?"

The girl lifted her head proudly.

"No." She said simply, "I do not."

The man growled and if possible, tightened his grip further.

"Don't you love me?" His lip twisted into an incredulous smirk.

The girl shook her head.

"Perhaps the idea of you. Perhaps once."

He dragged her towards the dance floor, through the shifting masses of dancers, dismay scrawled across his face.

"NO! No! You were meant mine. I am all that you need. It is not your place to choose. I have waited for too long for you to throw all of it away. _You_ ** _will_** love me. _You_ ** _fear_** me."

The girl struggled in vain, the dancers pressing closer, leering at the two as they struggled to assert power over one another.

"NO." She yelled, "I WILL _NEVER_ BE YOURS!"

"YOU WILL DO AS I SAY SARAH!" He thundered.

Everything stopped. Just for a moment, but it was enough.

Sarah. She stared at him without really looking.

She began to recite from memory, "In the Underground, over fifteen years ago, lived a kindly King and his beautiful Queen." Her voice faltered. Her mother. She was dead because of her, because of him, "Many years... and they longed for a child, and finally their wish was granted, yet it came at a cost." She watched as the man seemed to stoop before her with every word that was said, "To have the child, the King and his Queen had to ask assistance of the wild King of the castle beyond the Goblin City and were much in debt to him." The girl stared at the Goblin King and he stared back in horror, "But eventually, a daughter was born, and they named the girl Sarah, because Sarah means Princess and that was what she was."

She was Sarah.

The words were left unsaid, hanging in the air like dead man hangs from a noose.

The Goblin King knelt on the floor scuffed by countless dancers. His grip on her hand slackened.

"I could set you free. I would be your slave."

Regret coursed through her, burning away the aching sadness and confusion.

She regretted the peach.

She regretted being so cruel to Irene.

She regretted leaving the forest. Leaving her home and her friends.

She regretted leaving Toby alone in the forest that first day she met Jareth.

She regretted caring about the monster in front her.

"I don't want a slave. I never did."  
Sarah didn't even flinch when he pressed his face against the jewel encrusted bodice.

"Please don't leave me. You were all I could trust in this world."

Sarah was detached from the facade. It no longer captivated her.

"You can't make other's choices. That doesn't make them free. My heart is my own, no-one will control it. Especially not you Goblin King. Not if you want a life with me."

The King looked up at her imploringly.

"You make my choices. If it would make you stay, then my heart in yours."

Sarah watched as he hopefully stood, watching her, holding her close.

"It would not make me stay."  
The Goblin King snarled. Sarah felt leather fingers dig into her arms and the world flickered as he shook her. As if that would make her understand somehow that she should stay.

"You cut me deeper than you understand little girl. Would you leave me to bleed? To die?"

Sarah watched her arm raise, affectionately cupping his cheek.

"Sarah, I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know."

"We could have been good for one another."

A smile ghosted her lips, "I would have been good for you."

Slowly she bought one arm to rest at his shoulder, the other one guiding his hand to her waist. She found small comfort in the familiarity.

Their movements were jerkier than usual, their pauses less graceful and more jolting than either would admit.

Jareth had sung a song about Love found eyes and Cold hearts. About a love found in the stars. He sang about pain and promised to be there as the world fell down.

Sarah watched him leave as usual, when the clock struck thirteen and watched a heart break.

The party goers avoided her more than ever now. They would dart in front of her to distract her or promise her pretty lies just like Jareth had done. She knew what she had to do. What she wanted, what she needed. Before he came back again and broke her resolve. Taking one of the chairs littering the area and rose it above her head.

When she broke through the glass the world fell down. And from the rumble she would rise.

* * *

 _A/N: Second last chapter and then an epilogue. If you're looking at this and saying to yourself, "There's no possible way she can make it all better in one chapter!"_

 _Then you're right._

 _Well done to you Sherlock._


	12. Over

It had been three years since the a cursed summer solstice. The night when villagers would lock all the doors and windows no matter how suffocating the heat and sprinkle salt and iron around the entrances. They said that the Princess had been kidnapped, spirited away by her jilted lover and now lay asleep at the heart of the Labyrinth, doomed to wake a hundred years from now.

Few men tried to get her now she was finally in the Goblin King's clutches and fewer still even made it to the wild lands. Apparently those who even made it to the Labyrinth were struck down within thirteen hours of setting foot in the a cursed place.

The crown Prince, (A hefty lad, according to the stable master) was the only hope left for the Kingdom, and it was expected that by the time he was sixteen, that he would lead an army second to none and trample down the walls of the Labyrinth so that he and his sister would reunite again.

Deep in the depths of the Goblin City's dungeons a lowly dwarf, a dishonoured knight and a seriously confused rock caller prayed for that day.

* * *

Glass crunched beneath his boots like discarded eggshells. The broken shards had shredded the fabric hanging by mere threads from the once domed ceiling. The chandelier had already crashed to the ground, it's countless crystals mingling with the glass on the floor, glinting cruelly in the half light.

It was almost comforting to see something in the same state as his heart.

The mangled bodies of dancers were strewn across the floor. Some lying halfway across the stairs caught in the act of fleeing, others barely peeking out from the rubble.

Although Sarah wasn't there, she wasn't awake either, but she would be soon and he would have to face her.

How interesting, The fae pondered as he surveyed the room. She did not try save them at all. She had left them to die, just as she had left him.

The Goblin King's foot collided with a grotesque mask mimicking one of his subjects, which slid along the floor, before coming to a halt just inside a crumbling alcove.

The alcove.

Where both his and her dreams should have finally come true. If he had had his time again he would have done it all differently. He would have gotten rid of the dancers. He wouldn't have waited months and months. He should have taken her the moment he was able to enter her dreams.

But instead he had complied to her whims and fancies, just as he always had.

Stooping to pick up the mask before his fingers brushed against something else.

Sifting through the wreckage he held aloft a familiar item in his hands.

A riding crop.

The line of his mouth firmed with determination.

Fine.

If he could not rule her and have her happy, then the Goblin King would just have to take what was rightfully his by force.

The world had fallen down and he would rise from the ashes.

* * *

When Hoggle's grandpape had been in his final days, he had called the young dwarf over to his bed and said, "Hoggle, one day, yers gonna get old an yer bones an yer muscles are gonna ache more than ya will believe but the one thing that'll make it worth it is a very special girl."

The old dwarf had died not long after, his final words to Hoggle being his extra special salad recipe.

Over the years Hoggle had found that his grandpa's words had been right. A special girl had come along. He had cared about Sarah like nobody else in his life and was almost like a daughter to him, except dwarves can't have human children.

For biology reasons.

He was also right about the aching although he doubted that his grandpa had meant "yer bones and yer muscles are gonna ache 'cause some rat o' a King beats yer face inta a mushed up pulp every time the little missy upsets him."

At least Hoggle hoped not.

That kind of put a negative spin on old age for him as he had been fully planning on relaxing, maybe eating a pickled cucumber or two and grumbling whenever something was not going his way.

He still did the grumbling occasionally but because Didymus hadn't been doing much of it, it became quite dull.

Of course they wouldn't be in the dungeons in the first place if they had stayed at home, but Didymus had convinced them all that because they had all once lived in the Labyrinth, they would have a better shot than anyone else at saving Sarah.

He had been incredibly wrong, as it so turned out, the Goblin King had been waiting for one good reason to toss them all in a pit.

A pit with incredibly dank, slimy walls and a constant dripping sound whose source was yet to be located.

The dampness made Hoggle's joints creak and ache even more but he hadn't said anything just incase the King decided to throw them into the bog instead.

It hadn't really helped when the King found out that it was Hoggle's fault the Princess was in that state because of him either.

"Cor, I hope that rat Jareth don' come down today," Hoggle told Didymus, whose snout was looking particularly grey today (the chunks of fur that were left that was. Although his frail skin had turned a rather sickly shade of grey too now Hoggle squinted), "I don know how much more o' this I can take."

The knight's one good eye stared dully at him.

"Agreed my brother," his said in a horse rasp, "but we must remain vigilant, for our Lady."

Ludo moaned through his gag from his corner, his chains clanking against the stone. No doubt all his moving had made the oozing angry sores on his wrists even worse.

Not that things could get any worse.

At the scraping sound of the door against the floor all eyes swivelled to the entrance. Light priced the darkness of the cell, the outline of King's slender, aristocratic form leant against the frame, a riding crop dangling in one hand.

Hoggle had not yet been hit with a riding crop but deduced it would probably be better than the plank of wood with rusty nails sticking out of it from last week.

The heels of the King's boots rang out across the walls. He didn't bother shutting the door behind him, which had always annoyed the dwarf because he felt like it would let even more of a draft in.

"Good morning gentlemen!" The Goblin King said in a way that was entirely to cheerful.

Didymus snarled.

The King covered his mouth in mock surprise, lying a hand over his heart as if Didymus had mortally wounded him. Goggle wished someone would mortally wound him so they could just get out of the bloody dungeon.

"Oh come now Sir Didymus." He tsked, "After all your years of service to me? Don't be this way."

The King spun on his heel turning to face Ludo.

"And you rock caller," he said, pointing his crop like a conductor of a not so amazing orchestra at the poor creature, "How are you faring on this glorious day?"

Hoggle growled in frustration while Ludo groaned again, pulling at his chains. Why was the rat pulling this out for so long? Couldn't he just beat them all up and be done with it?

The King nodded as if he understood Ludo's pitiful moan.

"I am not faring well either my friend. Do you wish to know why?"

Ludo's head tilted with some curiosity. What ever the Goblin King's devious mind was planning, Hoggle hoped with all his heart it would fail.

The King leant casually against the wall beside Ludo, producing a crystal from thin air. Hoggle clenched his hands. Show off.

Spinning the crystal back and forth the King sighed.

"Ludo, I've made a terrible mistake."

Ludo's brow crumpled. It was almost as if he was asking what had happened.

"It's all because of your lovely friend Sarah you see."

Ludo moaned at the sound of Sarah's name, causing the rocks to tremble a little in the walls.

"Now, now," The King reprimand, "None of that. I've not done anything to her." The word 'yet' seemed to ring through the air. At least to Hoggle it did. Then again, he may have burst his eardrums screaming again.

"I merely wish to tell you something the others clearly haven't."

The Goblin King sent Hoggle a dark wink that made his gut boil.

"To put it simply, Sarah is not your friend."

The King waited until the rock caller had stopped wailing until he starting speaking again, brushing some grit off his shoulder.

"No, Sarah is not your friend. At least not the Sarah I have here in the castle." The King leant in further to whisper in Ludo's ear like they were sharing a secret, showing him the depths of the crystal. "It's just that Sarah, _our_ Sarah, would never just leave her _friends_ to go and live in some fancy castle, would she?"

"But Sire!" Interrupted Sir Didymus with a feeble croak, "T'was milady's duty to go to the palace." Ludo let out a small confused moan.

"Quite right, quite right." Agreed the King, "She," He gestured at the crystal with his whip, "convinced you that it was her duty through that magic mirror of hers. Of course you believed her, it was a strong enchantment after all, but I know the truth. Our Sarah would stay with her friends. You see that girl in the crystal? She's not Sarah. She's just a **deceitful liar** _pretending_ to be our Sarah. I believe she has our Sarah trapped somewhere where my magic cannot reach her but before I could find out where, the little witch turned violent and I was forced to put her in an enchanted sleep."

Ludo nodded to show he understood and it was all Hoggle could do to stop himself for screaming liar until he was blue in the face. Actually he was already blue in the face. It wasn't his fault he bruised like a peach!

The King continued, "At any rate, the enchantment is about to wear off and if she starts wandering around the castle I fear she may convince some of my subjects that she is the real Sarah and then convince them to try over through me. Of course the only reason I locked the three of you up in the first place was because I believed you were loyal to this treacherous snake but I realise my mistake so now, I am going to set you free."

Hoggle wasn't buying any of this goblin crap but he could see Didymus's one good eye narrowed thoughtfully and Ludo was drinking it up.

"That is incredibly noble of you Sire." Sir Didymus said slowly, inclining his head. King Jareth smiled a predatory smile, flicking the crystal away into nothingness.

"Isn't it just? All I ask is for one thing in return." He turned back to Ludo, "I need you to guard the chit's room until she awakens then guild her up the stair case. In the room up there, I have laid a trap. I will trap the wench and force her to tell me where the real Sarah is. I will bring her back to us and then you can visit her whenever you wish. Only do as I say and you will have proved your loyalty to me and to the Princess Sarah."

After Ludo's chains clanked open, the King turned to leave, pausing at the door.

"I warn you though rock caller. Sarah is not your friend. This _not_ Sarah will try and convince you that she is Sarah. Do not fall for her lies."

Once Ludo had left the door shut on the two remaining prisoners with a resounding slam.

"My brother," whispered Sir Didymus, "Why do I feel we are facing more danger now than when ever we have faced one of the King's blackest moods."

"I don know." Hoggle hissed back, "But I have a feeling that it could all get a lot worse."

* * *

At first, there was light.

Sarah grinned at this. Hoggle had been right when she had told him history repeats itself. Except this wasn't a strange crystal light, but rather a soft yellow glow shedding from the stained glass window.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes while simultaneously attempting to stretch her back. She had no idea where she was, so part of her thought about panicking, but the bedchamber had a relaxing quality to it.

Although Sarah's joints ached and there was an odd thick taste in her mouth but she was rested and felt lighter than she ever had in the ballroom. Gods, she felt like she'd slept for a thousand years, she thought as she rolled onto her stomach.

Looking about the extremely unfamiliar room, she might as well have. At right Sarah, she told herself firmly pulling her hair away from her face, there is no need to panic. You are going to make your way to the door over there and find someone who can tell you what's going on.

Slipping off the bed, she wobbled uncertainly on her feet for a moment (her muscles were still waking up) before padding across the animal skin covered floor.

Sarah hesitated uncertainly for a moment at the door, tucking her hair behind her ear anxiously. What if everyone she loved was dead? What if Jareth was waiting for her on the other side of the door, only to slam it in her face and laugh? What if the door was locked?  
"Well you are never going to know if you don't even try!" She told herself sternly, twisting the handle and flinging the door open.

Standing in front of the door was not the fae she feared but instead but a familiar face.

"Ludo!" She exclaimed, leaping towards her old friend arms out stretched. Then Ludo did something he'd never done to Sarah before in his life. He growled at her.

"Ludo?" Sarah asked, faltering. It was Ludo wasn't it? Sure his fur fur was the same colour, but it was matted and what appeared to be arrow heads were tangled in it. The fur that was left at least, as clumps of it had fallen out to show red welts raising from his poor skin. His face was a horrible mess of mottled bruises and one of his teeth had become jagged and snapped off.

"Ludo?" She asked again more slowly. "It's me, your friend. It's Sarah."

Ludo snarled again, taking a great, lumbering step forward, forcing Sarah to take a hurried five steps back to keep a safe distance away.

"Sar-wah NOT Ludo's fwiend." He growled, taking another step forward. Sarah panicked slightly, looking about to see if there was away she could escape. On the left there was a narrow stair case that she knew he wouldn't be able to squeeze into. If she had to, she would run that way.

"Ludo, w-what are you talking about? Of course we're friends! Remember when I was born and your gift to me was that we would be friends? And remember when I was five and I couldn't skip rocks across the water so you called to them? Remember how I was frighten of thunder storms because I thought the Goblin King would come and take me away for being naughty, so I would sleep with you?"

Ludo paused scratching his head for a moment.

"Why you... leave us Sar-wah? Ludo miss you." He sniffled slightly, wrinkling his forehead in a way that made Sarah want to laugh and cry. She felt like her heart was going to burst.

"Oh Ludo," She sighed, "I'm sorry I had to go. But you still got to see me through the mirror didn't you?"

Ludo's face darken viciously and he started growling again.

"Sar-wah NOT Ludo's fwiend."

Ludo gave him one last fleeting look at her friend before rushing to the stair case. She heard Ludo loudly wail behind her and the ground trembled beneath her feet as the rocks collapsed on the archway behind her.

Bending down, Sarah picked up one of the rocks and gave it a quick kiss, hoping Ludo would sense it.

"I'll help you Ludo. Somehow. I promise."

Setting her eyes determinedly on the staircase, she figured there was only one way to go.

Up.

* * *

He could tell the moment she was awake. And could sense her the moment she stepped into the room. The room meant to confuse and keep her off balance until she bent to **his** will.

 _Gods above_ she was close enough to _smell._ He found it incredibly amusing that she smelt of his bed-sheets instead of the forest or whatever perfuming the castle had been using to mask her scent.  
How would she react now he had begun to cut her friends off. He smirked. She would be _furious_. Oh, the thought of her passion was enough to elicit shivers. No doubt all that energy could be put to good use... Soon enough.

He considered the events of the Ballroom. It also seemed she was crueler than what he had been expecting. His own fault for underestimating her and placing her high on the shining innocent pedestal as the virginal maiden type. He hadn't really intended on acting like such a _besotted_ fool. No matter. They were nearing the end now and she would be his, just as always planned.

* * *

Sarah pattered up the stairs as quickly as her sluggish legs would carry her.

"Come on feet!" she urged, hoisting her dress a little higher, "Not much further and then we can find a way home."

But where was home? It certainly wasn't at the castle, yet after Ludo had just acted so aggressive she was uncertain about returning to her friends there either.

Oh dear.

Craning her neck, Sarah could just about glimpse an archway at the top of the staircase. Pushing all thoughts out of her head she hurried on.

She had finally made it to the top, hunched over from lack of breath and feet scrapped and battered from the rough sand stone, she sensed him.

Jareth.

It was a weird tingling sensation, as if someone had stuck their fingers into her head and wriggled around just behind her eyes, followed by the feeling of her stomach free falling. It was all to strange for her liking.

Sarah straightened up and toppled onto the ground almost straight away, her head swimming from the vertigo. It was the cool floor she could feel pressing into her cheek, wasn't it? Or was it the ceiling? Or a wall?

None of it made sense!

"I've been expecting you."

She gaped up at the fae man grinning smugly above her. Slowly coming to her hands and knees, Sarah tried to lean most of her weight against one of the walls to stop herself from buckling, but with a whoosh of air, found herself breathless, on her back and staring at the room from a whole new angle.

The sound of footsteps echo through out the room and through the cracks of her eyes, Sarah could barely make out a pair of boots coming to halt by her face.

"It could all be _so_ easy Sarah." He said, lounging suavely against a step close to her. "All I ask is that you fear me, love me and do as I say. Is that so hard? Couldn't you imagine yourself here? As my Queen?"

" _Queen, queen, queen_." The room echoed, piercing Sarah's mind like a thorn. It almost sounded like goblins were chanting.

Sarah felt a groan escape her lips. She could do this. All she had to do was banish him from her side and she and her friends would be free.

"And what Goblin King?" She asked snidely, "Spend eternity surrounded by bumbling goblin's for subjects? Have the chance torment innocent creatures and turn them against their friends everyday."

She snorted, pushing herself off the ground and straightening a crease out of her dress without sparing him so much as a glance. "No thank-you."

From the corner of her eye her, Sarah watched the Goblin King shook his head tauntingly.

"Why _Sarah_ , my **pet**." He pushed off from the step easily, leaning to whisper against her neck. "What about ruling by _my_ side? The chance to _never_ have a care in the world again. To be **beloved** by a _whole_ Kingdom. Never having to do _anything_ you don't want. Your friends at your beck and call." His gloved fingertips rubbed soothingly at her shoulders, "A _loving_ and _devoted_ husband. Friends will abandon you. The dwarf _poisoned_ you with that peach. The beast was willing to crush you under a pile of stone," He spat venomously, "and as for your little knight... Well," The Goblin King spreads leather clad arms wide, gesturing to the whole upside down room. "Is he here now? _Friends._ Ha. They will not last, but I. I will be by your side forever." An unwanted shudder came at the feeling of his curling around her hips, drawing her backwards against the firmness of his chest. "And look at what I'm willing to offer. All your dreams Sarah." He breathed lazily against her neck, "Don't you want them?"

As much as that sounded good, she had a duty. Besides, Jareth had let her down on her dreams before. She wasn't going to fall for it again.

"Hm," Sarah shrugged off his hold, flicking her hair over her shoulder for good measure, smiling down at him, "and what if the offer is unappealing?"

Jareth smiled back hungrily, taking in all the subtle movements. His tongue ran along the points of his teeth.

" _Impossible_ , I know you..." He took a step closer so she could practically feel the heat rolling off him, "I know what you _want_."

Sarah felt a challenging smirk rise to her lips.

"You think I want you?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

She wouldn't have to keep this act up much longer. Sooner or later she was going to slip up. Just remember the words and she was free. What had Hoggle taught her? For my will is as strong as yours and my Kingdom as great. You hold no power here. No... Not quite. Oh, what was it? What was it? What _was_ it?

Jareth's eyes narrowed dangerously, and he took a step forward. Instinct told her to take a step back and she balanced uneasily on an edge she hadn't noticed before. It only took a glance to know that if she fell, then she wouldn't be getting back up again. A jolt of fear ran through her. What were those words? You have no power at all? No, that wasn't it either.

"Don't you? That's puzzling. I suppose," He said with a sigh, "I'll just have to keep you here until you agree with my terms."

Sarah felt a crazed, nervous laugh ripple in her throat but let it out with more confidence than she felt.

"I guess I'm going to die of starvation then." She bluffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

She watched the Goblin King tense.

"I'll bring you food." He countered with a snarl.

"I wouldn't eat a single bite. I'd tip it over the edge." She said, turning up her nose, "I've said it once before and I will say it again Goblin King, I would rather die than spend an eternity with a man I don't love."

Jareth look darkened until she could barely recognise him "You don't love me now," He said slowly, "but you will." He promised. Sarah tilted her head to the side, regarding him with a calculating look. How could she have ever felt for this man? _Why_ did she still feel for this man? What were the words?

"For my will is as strong as yours" She murmured, ignoring his advances. She needed to concentrate. "and my Kingdom is as great..."

"Sarah..." He said warningly. She ignored him, continuing with his banishment from her life.

"Jareth, King of the Goblins, royalty amongst fae. You are my equal in will, kingdom and power. You shall not best me, not even through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered."

Jareth lashed forward to grab her, to stop her from saying the final line. Sarah darted out of his way, swaying a minuscule amount. Just enough for her to slip.

Her eyes widened with panic as her feet lost grip from rough stone. Time seemed to slowed down to a stop as she locked eyes with Jareth, his hand desperately clutching at thin air.

"You have no power over me." Sarah whispered as the world fell down again, the ground rushing to meet her.

* * *

He did not have power over her, but power over his castle, yes. He flung his arms out to her and slowed down time and gravity, for her. For her he would do anything. It would be his final act of kindness towards her. His final act towards her at all considering her words. He would never be able to get back into her life again.  
For a moment, he considered letting her fall and perish. At least he would have her then... But, no. No. It would not be worth it, he thought resolvedly. For her, as always, The Goblin King would be generous.

Instead of landing on the ground with a crack, she floated and landed softly on her feet in her home, surrounded by her friends.  
It cost him his castle, but for what it was worth, he would do it again.

The Goblin King watched the only girl he'd loved disappear with a shower of silver.

With a howl, he landed on his knees, watching parts of his castle float by like building blocks.  
His castle would take months to rebuild. His heart however...

He ignored the goblin that floated passed after a very puzzled chicken.

His heart would not be so easy.

* * *

Sarah looked around her. She was back in her room. In the castle... But only a second ago, she'd been... How strange...

She must must have blinked but with an umph and a small cloud of silver glitter, Ludo and Didymus landed on her bed. Both appeared a little worse for wear but they were free and that was all that mattered.

Except... Her heart hammered in her throat. They weren't all together.

Where was her beloved Hoggle?

A large groan and a pair of waving fist told her that Ludo was in fact sitting on him.

Laughing, Sarah ran faster than she'd ever run in her life and pounced on the three.

"I've missed you so much." She felt a sob choke up her throat and let it all go. She cried because she was happy to be safe and with her friends. She cried because she was so confused she thought her head would explode. She cried because she'd lost Jareth.

* * *

 _A/N: And that is a rap everyone.  
Well done for sticking through it. Many thanks to those who left reviews and I will see you all around __sometime for the epilogue.  
Tying up all the loose ends and everything.  
It still won't be happy._

 _But still better than the ending where I just let Sarah fall to her death and then swapped to Jareth's POV where he held the dying Sarah in his arms but couldn't do anything because he had no power over her._

 _That would be anti-climactic and like, how would Jareth break it to the Kingdom that he let Sarah die?  
"Oh, um yeah, I'm sorry everyone. She was sleep walking! There was nothing I could do! They told me never to wake a sleep walker so I just let her fall!" _

_Haha, yes. Exactly like that._


	13. Epilogue

One would be surprised at how well the kingdom up held it's name after the Princess Sarah suddenly mysteriously appeared back in the kingdom late one night, along with a grumpy dwarf, a fox that thought it was a knight and a walking shag carpet.

In fact, most neighbouring enemies would usually take the royal families quietness over the sudden reappearance as an admission of guilt and would immediately attack and obliterate the whole kingdom, pillaging, and burning, and leaving everyone for dead. Then again, usually the Princesses of said Kingdom's were not rumoured to be romantically involved with an all powerful, godlike being with mild anger issues concerning beings he deemed his property to the point of obliterating anyone who so much a sneezed in the general direction of his favourite obsession.

Usually.

As of such, Sarah's Kingdom was fairly safe.

As for the people of the Underground, they rejoiced in their beloved Princess's return because she was beautiful and kind and it also meant that they could have a month long grand celebration filled with booze and dancing.

The Princess however, did not join in on any of the merry making, having turned into a much more reflective young woman. She was frequently seen, out and about with her brother, strolling peacefully in the gardens, partaking in royal grievances and council meetings and sometimes, very late at night, so late that the moon often had started to go down and the sky is tinged to the golden orange of a new morn, a flickering candle light can be seen from her window. And maybe, if you were to peer closely or use a telescope and invade her privacy, you would notice her sitting by that window, writing page after page by the flickering light, and crying to herself. Very quietly. So that no one would ever know her sadness.

The chances of someone doing that however are very low, as most people are still passed out at that time or even still drinking.

* * *

Sarah was lying lazily, snuggled against the snoring Ludo in the dappled sunlight under a ripe plum tree. It was pleasantly warm, almost a little to hot in the sun and the branches were simply bursting with the vibrant, purple fruit, bees humming softly about them.

This was by far her favourite spot in the whole palace.

The high walls of the palace orchard kept her hidden but the rows of endless trees reminded her fondly of her forest home.

There weren't enough birds though. The gardeners frightened them off.

And the Dryads were too snooty and didn't like to come out. And really they should, she was after all a Princess and if anyone had a right to be snooty and reclusive, it was her.

Didymus, who was curled in a tight ball, a single paw clutching her shirt, twitched his greying snout slightly in his sleep, muttering something along the lines of, "Onward my valiant stead."

Two years after his traumatic experience in _that man's_ dungeons and he was doing rather well for himself, Sarah thought. Perhaps a little greyer and boy, did he sleep a lot more, but Sir Didymus was faring well. Especially for someone who was supposed to be guarding the crown Prince with his life.

Not far away, Sarah could hear the high squeals of her little brother followed by the grumbling of a grumpy dwarf. Five years old and already Toby was worse than he was when he was a baby. She would swear on her father's crown that the boy could not shut up more than two minutes.

 _Sarah, Sarah! Why was the sky blue, Sarah?_ _Sarah? What do pigeons talk about?_

Sarah carefully untangled herself from Didymus and Ludo without waking them. They deserved the sleep.

 _Do you think a pigeon and a dragon could hold a conversation Sarah? Is that possible? Why do I have to eat my diiiiiiinneeeeer?_

Dusting the dirt off her practical riding skirt, Sarah set off to find her little brother and her favourite dwarf, sending the peaceful Ludo and Didymus one last glance.

 _Sarah? If you wanted to, could you run to the end of the earth? Then what Sarah? Do you fall off a cliff into nothingness or is it like a giant dome with the sky at the top and the earth at the bottom and you'd just go splat against the sky?_

And there was of course another man in her life who wouldn't seem to stop asking questions, Sarah thought, pursing her lips grumpily. Although his seemed to be a lot more repetitive.

 _Sarah? Will you come back to me? Be my Queen? Mine for eternity? Will you fear me? Will you love me? Will you always do as I say? Oh my precious Sarah..._

Why couldn't no just mean no to that God-forsaken man? She frowned, until she caught a glimpse of golden yellow curls hiding high up in a tree, and a small dwarf standing below said tree, threatening it like there was no tomorrow.

"I'll leave ya up there. Swear I will. Yous won't see nothin' more of me."

Sarah grinned. "Hoggle, what are you doing? Surely you know that's just a tree?"

Hoggle turned and glowered which would have been frightening if he wasn't half her height. The golden mass of curls in the tree giggled, which made Hoggle glower some more.

"Yous shouldn't go encouraging him like that." He said giving the tree a half hearted kick, "Won't come down now yer playin' along too."

"Playing along with who Hoggle? It's only you and me here." Sarah smiled sweetly and the tree giggled a little harder. "I just came to let you know that..." Sarah looked about her like she was about to share a big secret that she didn't want anyone else to hear. "... Marcel said that the royal guards told him that the Queen specifically ordered if they couldn't find Prince Tobias in the next fifteen minutes, then he wouldn't get any elven sweets after dinner tonight."

The golden mop of curls seemed to stare daggers at the pair.

"And," Sarah continued, "she said you could have them instead."

With a huff of annoyance, little Toby scrambled down the tree, landing heavily on his bottom.

"Oh my goodness!" Sarah exclaimed fair to dramatically, "Toby! Where in the twelve kingdoms did you appear from?"

"I was hiding Sarah." He said pulling on his red tunic bashfully.

Sarah gasped, looking at Hoggle with her best, 'Who would have known?' face. Hoggle just humphed, and crossed his arms grumpily.

"It was a pretty good spot wasn't it? The little boy crowed. "You didn't even know I was there."

"Yes she did." Hoggle grumbled, kicking at a clod of dirt.

Toby stuck his tongue out. "You're just jealous because you don't get any elven sweets." And with that, the bundle of energy took off towards the castle, waving a toy sword about, occasionally whacking at branches that dared to get in his way.

Hoggle gave Sarah a sideways glance.

"The Queen didn' really say that?"

Sarah shook her head.

"Nup. I have no idea what she said. She's still with father."

Hoggle frowned slightly.

"He's not taking things well, is he?"

Sarah flopped to the ground.

"He did have a fae messing with his mind for over sixteen years Hoggle."

Hoggle struggled to the ground. His legs weren't what they used to be. Sarah saw them once after she had come back, when she went to the healers to fetch a draught to help father sleep. They were all twisted like an old tree's roots and sometimes they oozed putrid, bright yellow pus.

He didn't mention her seeing them. She didn't mention her seeing them either. It was just one of those things they didn't talk about. So they just sat together instead, surrounded by trees and the sticky, sweet scent of plums, which hung heavily in the air.

"I've written a book." She said quite suddenly, pulling the little booklet out of a pocket and passing it to Hoggle.

Hoggle stared down at it for a moment, a gnarled finger tracing over the looping, gold embossed front cover before turning back to Sarah.

"I still can't read."

Sarah scooted closer to him with a sigh and a roll of the eyes.

"It's called 'The Labyrinth,'" She said, opening one the book and casually leafing through to one of the illustrations, showing a young girl peering around the edge of a leafy maze, her hand grasping at the hand of a familiar looking, lumpy dwarf. "It's a bunch of stories about the Labyrinth to let my people know about it so they won't be afraid of magic anymore."

Hoggle let out a rare, wistful grin, looking intently at the picture.

"Just you wait Hoggle!" Sarah exclaimed, slowly getting more and more excited, "I'm going to educate my people. No more drunken celebrations and just getting by season to season. After father's gone, we're going to need a strong leader and I'm going to build an empire."

Hoggle continued to flip through the crisp, white pages before coming to a stop on one portraying a beautiful, young woman with a dreamy, far-off look on her face, who was being wantonly kissed by an equally stunning creature, much to the dismay of the dwarf in the picture, who seemed to be trying to desperately warn the woman.

"Now what's this page all about Sarah?" Hoggle asked looking appalled.

"Oh," Sarah grinned sheepishly, "That's the page warning people not to kiss the fair folk or else they'll fall under their thrall." She said looking down to hide her blush.

"Sarah..." Hoggle started, his voice mortified, "Yer know I only told you that to stop you from goin' 'bout kissin' random strangers, right?"

Sitting high up in a tree above her head where Toby had just been hiding, a lone white owl clucked, tilting his head to one side. He was going to kill that dwarf one day.

* * *

 _"_ _Say yes." He panted, short, sharp breaths against her sweat sheened neck._

 _Skin slid against skin. Legs tangled together and long, pale fingers tangled in longer, dark hair._

 _"_ _Be my Queen Sarah." He implored now, entwining his fingers with hers, "Be mine."_

 _"_ _Jareth I- Oh!" He lost sight of her beautiful, beautiful green eyes, as they rolled backwards into her head._

 _"_ _Uh, oh Gods! Jareth!" Her breath hitched, once, twice before she made a high, keening noise and, eventually she fell back against the bed, flushed and breathless._

 _"_ _Say yes." He begged softly, stroking her hair back from her face. "You could have everything you desire. Only fear me, love me and do as I say. Would that be so hard?"_

 _Sarah smiled gently, in that innocent, heavenly way that only she could, her fingers finding their way into his hair just as they had in the forest all those years ago before mashing her mouth against his, hard and tender and oh so delicious._

 _What felt like an eternity later, he came back up, gulping for air._

 _"_ _Say yes." He whispered, pressing his slick forehead against hers._

 _She brushed her hand against his cheek, still smiling that same small smile, her beautiful, beautiful green eyes glittering against her now pale face._

 _"_ _You have no power over me." She murmured, her breath on his lips, as she slowly faded away.  
Like every other night Jareth, King of the Goblins woke up angry and confused. Hurting and cursing._

 _Like every other night, Jareth, King of the Goblins woke up alone._

* * *

It hurt. It truly did. Once again he stood in the room of stairs confessing his love and devotion to her and once again simply she stood there.

Speechless.

Her rosy lips frozen once again, in a perfect 'O.'

Jareth took one step towards the apparition in white, then another, then another, until he was face to face with her.

Sarah.

He reached forward one shaking hand, as if to stroke, as if to caress that rounded cheek.

But his fingers went to far and they slipped through the crystalline dream, reducing it to all it ever was. A swirl of silver against the cold, hard ground.

He had relived this moment so many times with his illusions that the Goblin King was beginning to forget what was fact and what was fiction. Only one fact truly remained.

She had left.

He had no power over her.

And it hurt. It hurt so much that it burned away at his heart all his waking hours.

Maybe he was a masochist.

This gave him reason to grin. Well he might have been but she certainly wasn't. He knew full well how she liked it.

Sweet. Gentle. Soft and long.

He shuddered slightly, imaginary finger nails gliding over his chest. Any way she wanted it. Glancing out the arched window, he watched the last golden rays of light disappear from the blood red sky.

While she may have paraded her victory during day, the night was truly his.

* * *

 _She sat, straddling his hips, moans slipping passed his lips with each rocking motion._

 _"_ _Say yes." He begged, gently cradling her hips. "I could make you so happy. Only say yes."_

 _She only laughed, her beautiful, cruel eyes glittering victoriously._

 _"_ _You have no power over me."_

* * *

Twenty-one years old. That is how old Sarah was when she turned from Princess Sarah to Queen Sarah.

It had just been too much for her father. He was frequently having nervous break-downs and he had to spend either most of his time in bed or out in the gardens getting well needed fresh air. The Lady Irene was his constant companion, reading to him, pointing out new things in the garden everyday, finding little trinkets and board games to amuse him with.

Sarah thought it was very romantic.

Unfortunately it left her with all the meetings and work.

Sarah looked out over the long table filled with various Kings (No other Queens sadly) from reigning lands that had filled her dining hall.

"I call this meeting to order." She nearly had to yell to be heard, which she hated because it seemed so unprofessional.

Slowly the hub-bub died down, and Sarah leaned back in her chair hoping no-one saw her wince. Meetings meant fancy clothes. Deep red robes with a golden thread. How did one make such a garment not look shapeless on the female form? It was simple. A corset. What was the second bane of her existence after a very demanding Goblin King? Sarah sourly picked at her soft cheeses and grapes. Corsets.

On of these days she was going to make them illegal, but she had more pressing matters at the moment.

"I'd like to stake a claim on half of the wild lands.' She announced in the strongest voice she could muster, hoping no-one would call her out. "The land borders on my own and the Goblin King's. It is uninhabited and unclaimed but the soil is fertile and as my Kingdom begins to expand, we need more land for agriculture to provide food for my people. Does anyone object to this?" She asked, sending a pointed look about the room.

"Mi'Lady?" asked one of the younger Kings. He had a scragglier beard than most and rather mousy hair. "Are your people not frightened of the Goblin King? Surely you don't want his wrath upon your lands?"

Sarah shrugged as regally as she could. How _does_ one shrug regally?

"Not particularly, but my people do not fear the Wild King. We have had a book on folklore circulating for some years now explaining why one must not fear the fair folk. I would be willing to sell the rights to your kingdom for the right price." Sarah smiled sweetly, "As for the land, I believe that I have as good a claim as he to take it, and I'm leaving him half for his own purposes."

"You could have it all if you wanted." A familiar voice announced by her ear. Sarah nearly groaned out-loud as she watched a trickle of silver glitter land on her shoulder.

Great, now she had to deal with not only wearing a corset but also the Goblin King. "You could have anything you want... _if_ you married me."

It was like neither of them were aware they were in a towering hall, surrounded by gawking nobles who watched the pair, one submerged in blacks, purple and blues and the other proudly in red, a circlet of gold resting delicately on her dark head.

"Goblin King. How nice of you to join us." The Queen said nonchalantly, picking up a grape and examining it between her forefinger and her thumb.

"Anything for you, my pet." He smiled, leaning closer. She would neither encourage him, nor tell him off, much to the dismay of every other male in the room. Everyone secretly wanted Queen Sarah but at the same time, everyone knew that only a select type of man would be able to handle her. Much like Beyonce. Whoever that was.

"So are you going to sit down and eat my lord, or are you going to continue skulking around my shoulder like a creep?" She asked sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes.

He smirked, "I'm ravenous."

The Queen did not even blink as the Wild King swooped down and swallowed the grape the Queen had been holding in her fingers, staying entirely to long to suck at her fingers, watching her face intently the whole time. The Queen merely stared straight ahead, looking very, very bored.

It was incredibly uncomfortable for everyone who was watching and mildly disappointing because who didn't want to suck on Queen Sarah's fingers? It was a great honour.

"Are you quite done?" She asked in a flat voice, withdrawing her fingers and wiping them on his cloak.

"Delicious." He sighed with a satisfied smack, eyes glazed over.

The Queen frowned at him slightly before turning and realising she had a rather large audience of gaping males.

Turning back to the Goblin King, she whispered something in his ear, making him scowl darkly.

" _And?"_ He thundered, "What of it?"

The Queen merely rolled her eyes, and glanced out the window at the brewing storm clouds.

" _Fine."_ The King hissed, "Your way _as usual._ I'll see you tonight my darling."

The Queen smirked, "In your dreams."

The King bowed low, giving her hand a long, open-mouthed kiss.

"As always."

And with that the Wild King disappeared in a flurry of glitter and smoke, leaving his would-be Queen and a hall full of nobles in painful silence.

* * *

 _Fin Bitches. (JK, you're not my bitches)_

 _To answer some possible questions, this whole epilogue can be interpreted any way you want, like if you think that it could have totally worked out between Jareth and Sarah in this fic, I have given you the opportunity to do as such. If you believe that it was a severely abusive relationship that would have never happened, you can also take it like that._

 _Much like the original Labyrinth, it's not a happy ending or a sad ending. It's AN ending. Y'know?_

 _I think I've covered most things. Hoggle, Ludo and Didymus, live out the rest of their lives in the castle. They're just to old and frail to live alone in a forest anymore and they can't go home because evil Goblin dicks. I think they have a little hut at the very bottom of the garden and they just kind of chill.  
_

 _Robert kind of gets screwed up too so he had to abdicate and he's not insane but like, there is that potential there. Irene loves him though, and looks after him and Toby to the best of her abilities.  
_

 _Phillip has lots and lots of little baby pigs and that life suits him fine because when pigs can orgasm for 30 minutes, which you all really needed to know. What Phillip doesn't know however is that he is going to be eaten next Christmas. Soz Phil.  
_

 _If you want to be all J/S then I suppose you could imagine the pair slowly getting to love and respect each other over trade agreements about the land and in the end they just decide that they will be stronger united and get married in spring with flowers in her hair and everyone hugging and crying.  
_

 _If not, I think that once Toby is old enough and she's built up the Kingdom, she probably leaves him in charge and goes adventuring around the land and then finally when she's explored everything, she takes a ship and explores across the seas too and she always comes back with something from her new foreign lands and everyone knows about her because she spreads her story book where ever she goes and finally one day, when Toby has had children and Hoggle and Didymus and Ludo are gone, she just gets in a boat all by herself and sails away. Never to be seen again. And the stars are beautiful._


End file.
